Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 28,362,404 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2021 MJ is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 MJ as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2021 MJ orbits the sun every 308 days (0.84 years), coming as close as 0.72 AU and reaching as far as 1.07 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 MJ is probably between 0.221 to 0.494 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2021 MJ's orbit is 0.03 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
2021 MJ has 16 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2021 | 28,362,404 | 19.506 |
| July 27, 2026 | 18,927,698 | 20.268 |
| July 24, 2037 | 15,432,612 | 19.267 |
| July 25, 2053 | 5,671,359 | 19.376 |
| July 26, 2069 | 8,960,701 | 19.693 |
| July 23, 2080 | 20,778,423 | 19.319 |
| July 28, 2085 | 28,714,265 | 21.013 |
| July 25, 2096 | 5,237,446 | 19.437 |
| July 28, 2112 | 15,588,631 | 20.064 |
| July 25, 2123 | 18,300,171 | 19.297 |
| July 29, 2128 | 27,138,143 | 20.893 |
| July 26, 2139 | 12,105,467 | 19.275 |
| July 27, 2155 | 6,747,396 | 19.342 |
| July 27, 2171 | 7,078,013 | 19.330 |
| July 26, 2187 | 15,679,115 | 19.272 |
| July 29, 2192 | 23,836,990 | 20.625 |
Images and Observations
2021 MJ's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 24, 2021. It was last officially observed on June 27, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 25 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 MJ:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2459396.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.8923 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1954
- Inclination: 40.11°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 122.85°
- Argument of Periapsis: 20.8°
- Mean Anomaly: 135.59°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.285 km
- Magnitude: 20.4
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 308 days (0.84 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 31.52 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.07 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.72 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2021 MJ 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 MJ 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.
