2017 XV60

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
• Will pass within 6,431,579 km of Earth in 2019
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

2017 XV60 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2017 XV60 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 XV60 orbits the sun every 723 days (1.98 years), coming as close as 1.02 AU and reaching as far as 2.14 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2017 XV60 is probably between 0.018 to 0.041 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.

Close Approaches

2017 XV60'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 XV60 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

2017 XV60's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 14, 2017. It was last officially observed on Dec. 7, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 39 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 XV60:

• 3199 Nefertiti (1982 RA)
• 3800 Karayusuf (1984 AB)
• 7480 Norwan (1994 PC)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 2017 XV60 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.