Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field (0.21 km diameter)
- Will pass within 11,000,539 km of Earth in 2048
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2015 UK52 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2015 UK52 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2015 UK52 orbits the sun every 708 days (1.94 years), coming as close as 0.98 AU and reaching as far as 2.13 AU from the sun. 2015 UK52 is about 0.2 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2015 UK52's orbit is 0.04 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
2015 UK52 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 27, 2048 | 11,000,539 | 12.452 |
| Nov. 25, 2081 | 7,896,053 | 12.739 |
| Dec. 1, 2114 | 16,514,588 | 12.142 |
| Nov. 19, 2149 | 17,681,392 | 14.663 |
| Nov. 24, 2182 | 7,287,061 | 13.199 |
Images and Observations
2015 UK52's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 23, 2015. It was last officially observed on June 4, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 427 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
This asteroid is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2015 UK52:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.555 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3688
- Inclination: 20.95°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 239.1°
- Argument of Periapsis: 216.8°
- Mean Anomaly: 346.5°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.21300 km
- Magnitude: 20.14
- Albedo: 0.353
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 708 days (1.94 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 23.89 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.13 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.98 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2015 UK52 is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.
Size Rendering
The below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2015 UK52 to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
