Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 8,096,526 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2020 WU5 is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2020 WU5 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2020 WU5 orbits the sun every 398 days (1.09 years), coming as close as 0.95 AU and reaching as far as 1.17 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2020 WU5 is probably between 0.484 to 1.082 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2020 WU5 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 5.57 hours.
Close Approaches
2020 WU5'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.
2020 WU5 has 23 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 13, 2021 | 8,096,526 | 21.337 |
| July 11, 2021 | 23,796,530 | 20.582 |
| Jan. 11, 2033 | 18,211,037 | 22.079 |
| July 18, 2046 | 17,960,074 | 21.549 |
| Jan. 17, 2058 | 25,731,543 | 21.151 |
| July 15, 2058 | 6,123,355 | 20.804 |
| Jan. 15, 2070 | 10,914,578 | 21.196 |
| July 12, 2070 | 17,975,516 | 20.552 |
| Jan. 12, 2082 | 11,978,563 | 21.697 |
| Jan. 9, 2094 | 29,151,063 | 22.859 |
| July 20, 2095 | 25,051,904 | 22.014 |
| July 17, 2107 | 8,522,531 | 21.024 |
| Jan. 17, 2119 | 17,631,602 | 21.110 |
| July 15, 2119 | 10,685,513 | 20.618 |
| Jan. 15, 2131 | 8,001,280 | 21.378 |
| July 12, 2131 | 25,425,870 | 20.591 |
| Jan. 12, 2143 | 19,718,557 | 22.185 |
| July 19, 2156 | 16,912,768 | 21.495 |
| Jan. 19, 2168 | 25,150,079 | 21.144 |
| July 16, 2168 | 6,194,243 | 20.787 |
| Jan. 17, 2180 | 10,582,247 | 21.199 |
| July 13, 2180 | 18,371,665 | 20.548 |
| Jan. 14, 2192 | 12,214,272 | 21.722 |
Images and Observations
2020 WU5's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 28, 2011. It was last officially observed on June 27, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 369 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 2020 WU5:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.059 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1017
- Inclination: 41.48°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 112.85°
- Argument of Periapsis: 84.5°
- Mean Anomaly: 87.13°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.624 km
- Magnitude: 18.7
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 398 days (1.09 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.95 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.17 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.95 AU
- Rotation Period: 5.57 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2020 WU5 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 2020 WU5 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
