Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 6,740,042 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2019 GJ is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2019 GJ 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.
2019 GJ orbits the sun every 355 days (0.97 years), coming as close as 0.82 AU and reaching as far as 1.14 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2019 GJ is probably between 0.024 to 0.106 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2019 GJ's orbit is 0.02 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.
2019 GJ has 28 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2019 | 6,740,042 | 6.999 |
| April 14, 2020 | 18,281,494 | 4.725 |
| June 13, 2021 | 28,807,094 | 4.202 |
| Oct. 22, 2021 | 22,988,397 | 5.858 |
| Sept. 9, 2022 | 11,887,899 | 6.052 |
| Aug. 21, 2023 | 27,657,702 | 10.055 |
| March 27, 2052 | 15,329,973 | 8.517 |
| March 31, 2053 | 10,934,391 | 4.896 |
| May 24, 2054 | 27,442,636 | 4.606 |
| Nov. 5, 2054 | 26,238,655 | 6.025 |
| Sept. 19, 2055 | 13,694,205 | 5.565 |
| Aug. 24, 2056 | 21,534,048 | 8.803 |
| March 27, 2085 | 13,317,020 | 8.170 |
| April 3, 2086 | 12,972,446 | 4.781 |
| May 29, 2087 | 28,028,224 | 4.538 |
| Nov. 1, 2087 | 25,460,200 | 5.984 |
| Sept. 15, 2088 | 12,929,611 | 5.645 |
| Aug. 24, 2089 | 22,973,461 | 9.119 |
| March 28, 2118 | 11,718,702 | 7.894 |
| April 6, 2119 | 14,183,824 | 4.750 |
| Oct. 30, 2120 | 24,979,830 | 5.955 |
| Sept. 15, 2121 | 12,524,518 | 5.702 |
| Aug. 24, 2122 | 23,812,606 | 9.302 |
| March 29, 2151 | 16,752,637 | 8.790 |
| Aug. 26, 2155 | 21,123,698 | 8.741 |
| March 26, 2184 | 6,193,391 | 6.932 |
| Sept. 12, 2187 | 11,642,127 | 5.939 |
| Aug. 23, 2188 | 25,801,773 | 9.720 |
Images and Observations
2019 GJ's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 2, 2019. It was last officially observed on May 9, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 75 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2019 GJ can be reached with a journey of 378 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 7.149 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 114,379 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2019 GJ.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2019 GJ:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9805 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1674
- Inclination: 8.06°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 11.09°
- Argument of Periapsis: 64.98°
- Mean Anomaly: 303.1°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.065 km
- Magnitude: 24.33
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 355 days (0.97 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 30.05 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.14 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.82 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2019 GJ 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 2019 GJ 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.
