Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 9,044,110 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2019 XZ2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2019 XZ2 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 XZ2 orbits the sun every 669 days (1.83 years), coming as close as 1.01 AU and reaching as far as 1.98 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2019 XZ2 is probably between 0.020 to 0.089 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2019 XZ2's orbit is 0.05 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 XZ2 has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 27, 2020 | 9,044,110 | 4.225 |
| Jan. 17, 2031 | 11,127,874 | 4.799 |
| Dec. 27, 2041 | 27,252,798 | 9.036 |
| March 8, 2084 | 22,834,243 | 8.768 |
| Feb. 23, 2095 | 8,409,854 | 5.270 |
| Feb. 26, 2106 | 9,590,232 | 5.660 |
| March 13, 2117 | 29,015,531 | 10.097 |
| Jan. 16, 2163 | 12,338,024 | 5.203 |
| Jan. 29, 2174 | 9,052,467 | 4.269 |
| Jan. 14, 2185 | 13,237,690 | 5.452 |
Images and Observations
2019 XZ2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 3, 2019. It was last officially observed on April 2, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 63 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2019 XZ2 can be reached with a journey of 410 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.734 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 15 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2019 XZ2.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2019 XZ2:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.497 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3258
- Inclination: 3.64°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 180.28°
- Argument of Periapsis: 308.86°
- Mean Anomaly: 351.8°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.055 km
- Magnitude: 24.7
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 669 days (1.83 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.34 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.98 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.01 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2019 XZ2 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 XZ2 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.
