Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 1,714,103 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2019 SU1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2019 SU1 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 SU1 orbits the sun every 372 days (1.02 years), coming as close as 0.92 AU and reaching as far as 1.10 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2019 SU1 is probably between 0.036 to 0.160 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2019 SU1's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2019 SU1 has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13, 2019 | 1,714,103 | 5.142 |
| Sept. 15, 2020 | 16,826,022 | 7.518 |
| March 8, 2069 | 15,325,566 | 7.361 |
| March 13, 2070 | 1,067,533 | 5.043 |
NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 2 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Distance Error (km) | Probability of Impact (%) | Impact Energy (Mt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 14, 2119 | 6,054.06 | ±307.01 | 0.00001 | 0.008885 |
| March 13, 2116 | 3,652.98 | ±509.82 | 0.00000 | 0.008981 |
Images and Observations
2019 SU1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 20, 2019. It was last officially observed on Sept. 26, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 15 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2019 SU1 can be reached with a journey of 386 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 7.668 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 30,602 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2019 SU1.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2019 SU1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2459000.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.012 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.0883
- Inclination: 7.75°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 352.93°
- Argument of Periapsis: 259.97°
- Mean Anomaly: 339.27°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.098 km
- Magnitude: 28.4
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 372 days (1.02 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.60 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.10 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.92 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2019 SU1 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2019 SU1 to create an approximate landscape rendering. The approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.