Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 5,221,245 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2017 AE5 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2017 AE5 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.
2017 AE5 orbits the sun every 550 days (1.51 years), coming as close as 0.87 AU and reaching as far as 1.76 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2017 AE5 is probably between 0.064 to 0.286 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2017 AE5'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.
2017 AE5 has 24 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 1, 2020 | 5,221,245 | 9.045 |
| Feb. 11, 2023 | 8,683,911 | 7.144 |
| March 8, 2026 | 16,461,939 | 6.876 |
| April 2, 2029 | 19,431,624 | 7.276 |
| April 27, 2032 | 17,471,075 | 6.898 |
| May 24, 2035 | 10,790,870 | 6.901 |
| June 5, 2038 | 5,832,549 | 8.675 |
| June 13, 2041 | 15,099,158 | 11.257 |
| Jan. 22, 2100 | 24,451,552 | 13.371 |
| Jan. 30, 2103 | 8,922,802 | 10.089 |
| Feb. 8, 2106 | 5,996,766 | 7.678 |
| March 6, 2109 | 15,743,837 | 6.791 |
| April 4, 2112 | 19,437,679 | 7.266 |
| May 4, 2115 | 16,701,899 | 6.795 |
| May 31, 2118 | 8,150,956 | 7.430 |
| June 10, 2121 | 8,773,186 | 9.772 |
| June 18, 2124 | 23,574,447 | 13.019 |
| Jan. 24, 2180 | 22,220,696 | 12.921 |
| Feb. 1, 2183 | 7,039,330 | 9.641 |
| Feb. 10, 2186 | 6,527,575 | 7.538 |
| March 7, 2189 | 15,846,675 | 6.822 |
| April 4, 2192 | 19,396,505 | 7.259 |
| May 3, 2195 | 17,079,735 | 6.819 |
| May 30, 2198 | 8,917,103 | 7.223 |
Images and Observations
2017 AE5's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 11, 2011. It was last officially observed on Feb. 2, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 206 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2017 AE5 can be reached with a journey of 346 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.215 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 8,841 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2017 AE5.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2017 AE5:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.314 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3383
- Inclination: 2.28°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 1.9°
- Argument of Periapsis: 188.61°
- Mean Anomaly: 114.3°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.175 km
- Magnitude: 22.17
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 550 days (1.51 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.99 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.76 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.87 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2017 AE5 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 2017 AE5 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.
