Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 12,728,899 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2021 JK2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 JK2 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 JK2 orbits the sun every 304 days (0.83 years), coming as close as 0.62 AU and reaching as far as 1.15 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 JK2 is probably between 0.019 to 0.086 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2021 JK2's orbit is 0.03 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 JK2 has 22 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 10, 2021 | 12,728,899 | 5.980 |
| April 17, 2026 | 15,653,948 | 5.716 |
| July 12, 2056 | 10,779,674 | 6.186 |
| July 15, 2061 | 8,085,372 | 6.723 |
| July 14, 2066 | 8,855,249 | 6.558 |
| July 14, 2071 | 9,609,099 | 6.384 |
| July 12, 2076 | 10,499,881 | 6.214 |
| July 8, 2081 | 13,164,267 | 5.867 |
| July 1, 2086 | 16,624,998 | 5.703 |
| April 9, 2111 | 11,856,112 | 6.164 |
| April 4, 2116 | 7,837,931 | 7.989 |
| April 5, 2121 | 14,345,082 | 10.235 |
| April 9, 2126 | 27,362,884 | 13.143 |
| July 15, 2137 | 22,054,081 | 12.163 |
| July 16, 2142 | 18,325,439 | 11.351 |
| July 16, 2147 | 18,866,378 | 11.460 |
| July 15, 2152 | 20,778,429 | 11.845 |
| July 15, 2157 | 22,745,488 | 12.266 |
| July 15, 2162 | 23,705,996 | 12.478 |
| July 14, 2167 | 26,612,907 | 13.086 |
| April 10, 2191 | 25,571,651 | 12.700 |
| April 8, 2196 | 19,345,840 | 11.328 |
Images and Observations
2021 JK2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 17, 2021. It was last officially observed on May 8, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 27 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2021 JK2 can be reached with a journey of 330 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 9.533 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 28,948 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2021 JK2.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2021 JK2:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.885 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2971
- Inclination: 3.7°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 145.51°
- Argument of Periapsis: 281.22°
- Mean Anomaly: 77.93°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.053 km
- Magnitude: 24.77
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 304 days (0.83 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 31.67 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.15 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.62 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2021 JK2 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 JK2 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.
