Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 22,345,805 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2021 KJ1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 KJ1 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 KJ1 orbits the sun every 231 days (0.63 years), coming as close as 0.35 AU and reaching as far as 1.12 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 KJ1 is probably between 0.042 to 0.094 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2021 KJ1's orbit is 0.06 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 KJ1 has 14 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2021 | 22,345,805 | 10.182 |
| April 22, 2026 | 22,693,074 | 15.325 |
| June 17, 2028 | 10,030,201 | 11.906 |
| April 27, 2033 | 19,332,220 | 10.834 |
| June 18, 2035 | 21,006,168 | 16.789 |
| April 22, 2045 | 26,140,275 | 16.425 |
| June 15, 2047 | 12,686,369 | 11.169 |
| June 18, 2054 | 16,799,454 | 15.758 |
| April 22, 2064 | 27,477,732 | 16.801 |
| June 18, 2073 | 16,158,156 | 15.604 |
| April 23, 2128 | 18,100,374 | 12.804 |
| June 20, 2130 | 10,671,036 | 14.081 |
| April 27, 2185 | 18,963,278 | 11.113 |
| June 20, 2187 | 18,744,892 | 16.294 |
Images and Observations
2021 KJ1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 18, 2021. It was last officially observed on June 5, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 32 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 KJ1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.7374 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5251
- Inclination: 6.75°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 116.0°
- Argument of Periapsis: 303.62°
- Mean Anomaly: 57.37°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.054 km
- Magnitude: 24.0
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 231 days (0.63 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 34.73 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.12 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.35 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2021 KJ1 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 KJ1 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.
