2021 AB1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 AB1 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.
2021 AB1 orbits the sun every 229 days (0.63 years), coming as close as 0.39 AU and reaching as far as 1.07 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 AB1 is probably between 0.012 to 0.027 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2021 AB1's orbit is 0.01 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.
2021 AB1 has 14 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 30, 2020 | 2,571,729 | 11.235 |
| Dec. 28, 2025 | 3,904,121 | 12.267 |
| Dec. 27, 2030 | 14,042,072 | 14.461 |
| Dec. 29, 2035 | 25,943,648 | 17.122 |
| Feb. 17, 2038 | 24,055,546 | 14.495 |
| Feb. 15, 2043 | 17,773,353 | 11.970 |
| Jan. 1, 2068 | 4,708,852 | 10.842 |
| Dec. 28, 2072 | 1,975,090 | 11.833 |
| Dec. 27, 2077 | 13,982,950 | 14.442 |
| Dec. 29, 2082 | 28,298,215 | 17.662 |
| Feb. 17, 2085 | 22,291,826 | 13.838 |
| Dec. 29, 2119 | 13,400,499 | 14.314 |
| Dec. 29, 2124 | 23,066,392 | 16.463 |
| Dec. 30, 2166 | 1,474,202 | 11.796 |
2021 AB1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 4, 2021. It was last officially observed on Jan. 6, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 21 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 2021 AB1 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.