Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 10,138,959 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2017 GL7 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2017 GL7 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 GL7 orbits the sun every 446 days (1.22 years), coming as close as 0.80 AU and reaching as far as 1.49 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2017 GL7 is probably between 0.049 to 0.218 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2017 GL7's orbit is 0.05 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 GL7 has 25 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 25, 2021 | 10,138,959 | 9.901 |
| Feb. 25, 2028 | 17,184,893 | 5.563 |
| Sept. 19, 2032 | 21,688,583 | 12.473 |
| Jan. 18, 2039 | 26,037,478 | 7.118 |
| Dec. 20, 2049 | 28,652,436 | 8.050 |
| Nov. 21, 2060 | 25,856,970 | 7.440 |
| March 20, 2067 | 24,241,340 | 12.971 |
| Oct. 18, 2071 | 16,789,033 | 6.093 |
| March 14, 2078 | 11,706,520 | 10.076 |
| Oct. 6, 2082 | 10,707,276 | 6.900 |
| March 17, 2089 | 17,546,103 | 11.534 |
| Nov. 1, 2093 | 20,916,283 | 6.473 |
| March 21, 2100 | 28,327,686 | 13.825 |
| Nov. 17, 2104 | 24,565,623 | 7.159 |
| Dec. 2, 2115 | 27,097,223 | 7.772 |
| Dec. 19, 2126 | 28,466,201 | 8.033 |
| Jan. 7, 2138 | 27,646,961 | 7.656 |
| Jan. 27, 2149 | 24,483,009 | 6.682 |
| Sept. 21, 2153 | 23,601,205 | 12.878 |
| Feb. 12, 2160 | 20,990,751 | 5.795 |
| Sept. 22, 2164 | 19,914,437 | 12.108 |
| Feb. 9, 2171 | 21,659,341 | 5.921 |
| Sept. 21, 2175 | 24,167,042 | 12.987 |
| Jan. 24, 2182 | 25,112,752 | 6.840 |
| Jan. 20, 2193 | 26,053,814 | 7.124 |
Images and Observations
2017 GL7's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 6, 2017. It was last officially observed on June 3, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 97 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2017 GL7 can be reached with a journey of 410 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 9.84 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 8,578 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2017 GL7.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2017 GL7:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.142 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3036
- Inclination: 3.6°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 232.08°
- Argument of Periapsis: 215.44°
- Mean Anomaly: 169.83°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.134 km
- Magnitude: 22.76
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 446 days (1.22 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.86 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.49 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.80 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2017 GL7 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 GL7 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.
