Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 14,210,211 km of Earth in 2027
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2017 UR4 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2017 UR4 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2017 UR4 orbits the sun every 648 days (1.77 years), coming as close as 0.94 AU and reaching as far as 1.99 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2017 UR4 is probably between 0.202 to 0.451 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2017 UR4'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 UR4 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 14, 2027 | 14,210,211 | 12.679 |
| April 19, 2066 | 4,069,921 | 13.667 |
| April 22, 2105 | 6,381,450 | 14.230 |
| April 12, 2121 | 19,098,269 | 12.446 |
| April 25, 2160 | 13,444,990 | 15.064 |
| April 17, 2176 | 9,145,631 | 13.056 |
Images and Observations
2017 UR4's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 30, 2010. It was last officially observed on Oct. 5, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 80 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 UR4:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.466 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3565
- Inclination: 21.75°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 211.11°
- Argument of Periapsis: 311.22°
- Mean Anomaly: 14.4°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.260 km
- Magnitude: 20.6
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 648 days (1.77 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.61 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.99 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.94 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2017 UR4 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 UR4 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.
