Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 28,008,678 km of Earth in 2023
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2021 LC7 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 LC7 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 LC7 orbits the sun every 746 days (2.04 years), coming as close as 0.51 AU and reaching as far as 2.70 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 LC7 is probably between 0.136 to 0.305 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2021 LC7's orbit is 0.09 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 LC7 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 4, 2023 | 28,008,678 | 16.419 |
| June 18, 2025 | 19,427,978 | 23.937 |
| Nov. 18, 2057 | 19,331,743 | 23.689 |
| June 12, 2072 | 14,225,500 | 20.361 |
| Nov. 22, 2106 | 15,778,735 | 22.208 |
| June 16, 2121 | 13,633,378 | 21.676 |
| Nov. 25, 2155 | 14,914,578 | 21.024 |
| June 19, 2170 | 16,668,857 | 23.187 |
Images and Observations
2021 LC7's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 2, 2012. It was last officially observed on June 7, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 64 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 LC7:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.609 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6802
- Inclination: 5.86°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 143.55°
- Argument of Periapsis: 16.15°
- Mean Anomaly: 73.0°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.176 km
- Magnitude: 21.45
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 746 days (2.04 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 23.46 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.70 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.51 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2021 LC7 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 LC7 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.
