2021 LF6 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 LF6 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 LF6 orbits the sun every 355 days (0.97 years), coming as close as 0.94 AU and reaching as far as 1.02 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 LF6 is probably between 0.003 to 0.015 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2021 LF6'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 LF6 has 12 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 16, 2020 | 7,738,863 | 2.027 |
| Dec. 9, 2020 | 5,932,904 | 1.908 |
| June 16, 2021 | 1,405,379 | 1.689 |
| June 27, 2022 | 24,864,220 | 5.551 |
| May 3, 2055 | 8,327,320 | 2.053 |
| Nov. 23, 2055 | 5,722,086 | 1.678 |
| June 19, 2056 | 7,498,076 | 2.348 |
| April 13, 2088 | 24,812,816 | 5.285 |
| Jan. 22, 2089 | 6,609,419 | 1.549 |
| May 27, 2089 | 2,451,481 | 1.533 |
| June 2, 2090 | 6,799,612 | 2.265 |
| May 31, 2091 | 25,688,806 | 5.640 |
NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 1 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:
| Date | Probability of Impact (%) | Impact Energy (Mt) |
|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2115 | 0.00000 | 0.006133 |
2021 LF6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 12, 2021. It was last officially observed on June 27, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 27 observations used to determine its orbit.
2021 LF6 can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 3.61 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 1,698,447 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2021 LF6.
The position of 2021 LF6 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.