Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 9,238,832 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2016 PC2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2016 PC2 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 PC2 orbits the sun every 262 days (0.72 years), coming as close as 0.43 AU and reaching as far as 1.17 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2016 PC2 is probably between 0.067 to 0.149 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2016 PC2's orbit is 0.05 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 PC2 has 23 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 26, 2021 | 9,238,832 | 12.277 |
| July 24, 2026 | 10,699,193 | 14.469 |
| July 25, 2031 | 24,840,271 | 17.527 |
| Aug. 11, 2049 | 24,733,689 | 11.050 |
| July 31, 2054 | 16,027,345 | 11.415 |
| July 25, 2059 | 7,450,103 | 12.764 |
| July 23, 2064 | 13,202,636 | 15.066 |
| July 25, 2069 | 26,993,239 | 17.997 |
| Aug. 13, 2087 | 25,587,324 | 11.038 |
| Aug. 2, 2092 | 17,712,397 | 11.301 |
| July 26, 2097 | 8,451,563 | 12.420 |
| July 25, 2102 | 10,866,541 | 14.558 |
| July 27, 2107 | 24,642,256 | 17.514 |
| Aug. 13, 2125 | 25,239,473 | 11.039 |
| Aug. 2, 2130 | 16,695,961 | 11.364 |
| July 27, 2135 | 7,577,077 | 12.647 |
| July 25, 2140 | 12,296,079 | 14.907 |
| July 27, 2145 | 26,402,051 | 17.896 |
| Aug. 14, 2163 | 25,615,589 | 11.033 |
| Aug. 3, 2168 | 17,994,410 | 11.281 |
| July 28, 2173 | 9,077,460 | 12.252 |
| July 25, 2178 | 8,802,999 | 14.090 |
| July 26, 2183 | 20,685,363 | 16.716 |
Images and Observations
2016 PC2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 2, 2016. It was last officially observed on Aug. 3, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 122 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 2016 PC2:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.801 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4605
- Inclination: 15.2°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 130.23°
- Argument of Periapsis: 22.48°
- Mean Anomaly: 107.21°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.086 km
- Magnitude: 23.0
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 262 days (0.72 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 33.26 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.17 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.43 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2016 PC2 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 2016 PC2 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.
