Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 27,676,947 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2017 DC36 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2017 DC36 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 DC36 orbits the sun every 351 days (0.96 years), coming as close as 0.71 AU and reaching as far as 1.24 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2017 DC36 is probably between 0.065 to 0.290 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2017 DC36 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 7.14 hours.
Close Approaches
2017 DC36's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is very close to Earth's orbit.
2017 DC36 has 28 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 23, 2020 | 27,676,947 | 5.022 |
| Aug. 12, 2020 | 27,279,619 | 5.683 |
| July 9, 2021 | 13,443,812 | 10.055 |
| Feb. 22, 2041 | 19,500,973 | 12.250 |
| Feb. 23, 2042 | 16,445,408 | 5.801 |
| July 17, 2045 | 15,101,242 | 6.270 |
| July 5, 2046 | 25,967,920 | 12.970 |
| Feb. 20, 2066 | 8,646,811 | 10.122 |
| March 9, 2067 | 24,576,741 | 5.781 |
| July 15, 2070 | 11,386,899 | 7.300 |
| Feb. 24, 2091 | 23,179,203 | 13.004 |
| Feb. 19, 2092 | 11,994,695 | 6.342 |
| July 22, 2095 | 20,461,307 | 5.199 |
| July 7, 2096 | 19,446,556 | 11.573 |
| Feb. 25, 2116 | 23,818,151 | 13.123 |
| Feb. 20, 2117 | 11,888,838 | 6.346 |
| July 20, 2120 | 18,981,197 | 5.442 |
| July 8, 2121 | 21,426,711 | 12.021 |
| Feb. 21, 2141 | 9,724,628 | 10.327 |
| March 10, 2142 | 24,354,328 | 5.736 |
| July 15, 2145 | 10,698,296 | 7.535 |
| Feb. 21, 2166 | 8,808,148 | 10.142 |
| March 10, 2167 | 24,483,046 | 5.731 |
| July 16, 2170 | 11,286,264 | 7.257 |
| Feb. 26, 2191 | 28,526,985 | 14.068 |
| Feb. 20, 2192 | 6,501,248 | 7.271 |
| Aug. 3, 2195 | 24,060,283 | 5.038 |
| July 9, 2196 | 16,010,298 | 10.798 |
Images and Observations
2017 DC36's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 17, 2017. It was last officially observed on July 3, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 376 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2017 DC36 can be reached with a journey of 402 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 9.038 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 47,422 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2017 DC36.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2017 DC36:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9737 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2745
- Inclination: 5.71°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 330.02°
- Argument of Periapsis: 70.9°
- Mean Anomaly: 16.84°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.178 km
- Magnitude: 22.14
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 351 days (0.96 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 30.18 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.24 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.71 AU
- Rotation Period: 7.14 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2017 DC36 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 DC36 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.
