2016 FF12 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2016 FF12 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
2016 FF12 orbits the sun every 455 days (1.25 years), coming as close as 0.67 AU and reaching as far as 1.65 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2016 FF12 is probably between 0.015 to 0.034 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2016 FF12's orbit is 0.03 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.
2016 FF12 has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 17, 2021 | 14,059,697 | 12.434 |
| March 16, 2026 | 27,293,650 | 10.490 |
2016 FF12's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 27, 2016. It was last officially observed on March 31, 2016. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 43 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 2016 FF12 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.