Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
  • Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
  • Will pass within 23,673,669 km of Earth in 2048
  • Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
  • Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

2017 CM32 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2017 CM32 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.

2017 CM32 orbits the sun every 1,900 days (5.20 years), coming as close as 0.75 AU and reaching as far as 5.24 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2017 CM32 is probably between 0.263 to 0.589 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.

Close Approaches

2017 CM32'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 CM32 has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Date Distance from Earth (km) Velocity (km/s)
Feb. 7, 2048 23,673,669 16.559
Feb. 15, 2074 11,487,669 18.581
Feb. 4, 2131 21,638,254 17.426
Feb. 10, 2157 12,753,007 18.980

Images and Observations

2017 CM32's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 14, 2016. It was last officially observed on April 5, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 75 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 2017 CM32:

References

Search

   or view a random object

Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.997 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.749
  • Inclination: 16.42°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 148.61°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 303.78°
  • Mean Anomaly: 107.76°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~0.340 km
  • Magnitude: 20.02

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,900 days (5.20 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 17.16 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 5.24 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.75 AU

Map Comparison

Click to load map

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 2017 CM32 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 CM32 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.