Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 9,651,493 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2016 RP40 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2016 RP40 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 RP40 orbits the sun every 456 days (1.25 years), coming as close as 0.78 AU and reaching as far as 1.53 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2016 RP40 is probably between 0.019 to 0.085 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2016 RP40's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2016 RP40 has 20 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 4, 2021 | 9,651,493 | 8.903 |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | 16,186,923 | 7.730 |
| Aug. 18, 2031 | 25,018,881 | 6.648 |
| April 18, 2066 | 28,035,498 | 7.140 |
| March 30, 2071 | 20,366,673 | 7.081 |
| March 23, 2076 | 12,608,069 | 8.352 |
| March 19, 2081 | 5,428,725 | 9.657 |
| March 20, 2086 | 6,722,568 | 9.413 |
| March 24, 2091 | 13,224,112 | 8.231 |
| April 1, 2096 | 21,804,370 | 6.920 |
| April 25, 2101 | 29,717,672 | 7.446 |
| Aug. 10, 2131 | 27,645,999 | 6.940 |
| Aug. 30, 2136 | 17,938,049 | 7.436 |
| Sept. 5, 2141 | 8,481,206 | 9.123 |
| Sept. 8, 2146 | 3,191,488 | 10.234 |
| Sept. 8, 2151 | 4,809,460 | 9.829 |
| Sept. 4, 2156 | 10,655,389 | 8.702 |
| Aug. 29, 2161 | 19,458,749 | 7.199 |
| Aug. 6, 2166 | 28,888,935 | 7.095 |
| April 5, 2196 | 23,447,426 | 6.778 |
Images and Observations
2016 RP40's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 13, 2016. It was last officially observed on Oct. 6, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 60 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2016 RP40 can be reached with a journey of 378 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.686 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 9 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2016 RP40.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2016 RP40:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.159 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.324
- Inclination: 7.4°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 352.58°
- Argument of Periapsis: 267.32°
- Mean Anomaly: 272.95°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.052 km
- Magnitude: 24.81
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 456 days (1.25 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.65 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.53 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.78 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2016 RP40 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 RP40 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.
