Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 362,017 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2021 CO is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 CO 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 CO orbits the sun every 436 days (1.19 years), coming as close as 0.72 AU and reaching as far as 1.53 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 CO is probably between 0.024 to 0.055 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
The rotation of 2021 CO has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 1.61 hours.
Close Approaches
2021 CO'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.
2021 CO has 12 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 11, 2021 | 362,017 | 11.569 |
| Aug. 27, 2022 | 13,186,917 | 14.050 |
| Feb. 3, 2027 | 26,346,913 | 16.789 |
| Aug. 17, 2028 | 12,669,917 | 9.114 |
| Feb. 14, 2058 | 7,097,379 | 10.153 |
| Aug. 30, 2059 | 21,495,485 | 15.677 |
| Feb. 8, 2064 | 12,904,343 | 14.103 |
| Aug. 23, 2065 | 2,373,266 | 11.818 |
| Feb. 4, 2070 | 25,772,679 | 16.680 |
| Aug. 20, 2071 | 8,154,939 | 9.992 |
| Feb. 14, 2119 | 2,593,769 | 11.033 |
| Aug. 30, 2120 | 21,356,586 | 15.659 |
Images and Observations
2021 CO's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 5, 2021. It was last officially observed on Feb. 11, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 101 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 2021 CO:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.126 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3632
- Inclination: 4.76°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 321.67°
- Argument of Periapsis: 272.73°
- Mean Anomaly: 7.89°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.032 km
- Magnitude: 25.18
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 436 days (1.19 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.10 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.53 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.72 AU
- Rotation Period: 1.61 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2021 CO 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 2021 CO 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.
