Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 13,241,487 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2016 XG1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2016 XG1 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2016 XG1 orbits the sun every 618 days (1.69 years), coming as close as 0.33 AU and reaching as far as 2.51 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2016 XG1 is probably between 0.114 to 0.255 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
Close Approaches
2016 XG1'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.
2016 XG1 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 15, 2021 | 13,241,487 | 29.449 |
| Nov. 10, 2043 | 10,688,198 | 25.248 |
| Nov. 18, 2070 | 19,999,559 | 30.942 |
| March 2, 2084 | 29,860,593 | 30.124 |
| Nov. 10, 2092 | 10,397,878 | 25.261 |
| Nov. 7, 2114 | 29,360,727 | 21.495 |
| Nov. 11, 2158 | 14,907,587 | 24.254 |
| Nov. 16, 2180 | 6,716,528 | 28.124 |
| March 10, 2194 | 25,181,618 | 25.967 |
Images and Observations
2016 XG1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 1, 2016. It was last officially observed on Nov. 27, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 53 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 XG1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.419 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7681
- Inclination: 10.29°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 62.34°
- Argument of Periapsis: 224.84°
- Mean Anomaly: 53.94°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.147 km
- Magnitude: 21.84
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 618 days (1.69 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.98 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.51 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.33 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2016 XG1 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 XG1 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.
