Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 18,491,395 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2019 LX4 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2019 LX4 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2019 LX4 orbits the sun every 646 days (1.77 years), coming as close as 1.01 AU and reaching as far as 1.91 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2019 LX4 is probably between 0.077 to 0.344 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2019 LX4's orbit is 0.04 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 LX4 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 6, 2019 | 18,491,395 | 8.042 |
| Sept. 9, 2042 | 7,697,996 | 4.563 |
| Sept. 15, 2065 | 8,046,137 | 4.799 |
| Oct. 12, 2088 | 28,109,417 | 10.199 |
| July 30, 2104 | 8,562,330 | 6.048 |
| July 27, 2127 | 12,018,199 | 6.998 |
| Sept. 25, 2157 | 9,196,741 | 5.421 |
| Sept. 26, 2180 | 9,381,631 | 5.510 |
| July 16, 2196 | 28,167,171 | 10.481 |
Images and Observations
2019 LX4's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 17, 2015. It was last officially observed on Oct. 31, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 177 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2019 LX4 can be reached with a journey of 386 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.373 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 373 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2019 LX4.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2019 LX4:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.462 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3076
- Inclination: 2.94°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 269.98°
- Argument of Periapsis: 68.7°
- Mean Anomaly: 95.96°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.211 km
- Magnitude: 21.77
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 646 days (1.77 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.62 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.91 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.01 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2019 LX4 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 LX4 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.
