Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 17,801,116 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2022 AO is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2022 AO 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.
2022 AO orbits the sun every 381 days (1.04 years), coming as close as 0.83 AU and reaching as far as 1.22 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2022 AO is probably between 0.028 to 0.126 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2022 AO's orbit is 0.08 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.
2022 AO has 35 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 28, 2022 | 17,801,116 | 4.877 |
| May 28, 2023 | 27,018,628 | 6.798 |
| Aug. 6, 2024 | 14,591,066 | 5.515 |
| Feb. 6, 2045 | 22,721,575 | 9.958 |
| Jan. 15, 2046 | 22,609,201 | 5.162 |
| April 2, 2046 | 24,772,447 | 4.887 |
| June 10, 2047 | 25,691,827 | 6.672 |
| Aug. 16, 2048 | 13,470,611 | 6.614 |
| Feb. 8, 2069 | 14,593,126 | 7.652 |
| Dec. 31, 2069 | 27,857,275 | 5.719 |
| April 25, 2070 | 27,191,834 | 6.184 |
| June 28, 2071 | 22,877,945 | 6.180 |
| Aug. 23, 2072 | 18,182,646 | 8.562 |
| Feb. 8, 2093 | 12,937,492 | 5.925 |
| May 11, 2094 | 27,683,547 | 6.646 |
| July 15, 2095 | 19,551,147 | 5.636 |
| Aug. 27, 2096 | 25,259,061 | 10.321 |
| Feb. 4, 2117 | 15,609,908 | 4.991 |
| May 23, 2118 | 27,409,362 | 6.798 |
| July 31, 2119 | 16,418,192 | 5.327 |
| Feb. 8, 2140 | 27,425,537 | 11.036 |
| Jan. 25, 2141 | 19,760,823 | 4.896 |
| June 3, 2142 | 26,631,630 | 6.796 |
| Aug. 12, 2143 | 13,937,433 | 5.769 |
| Feb. 9, 2164 | 20,045,565 | 9.265 |
| Jan. 12, 2165 | 24,246,147 | 5.331 |
| April 10, 2165 | 25,622,435 | 5.376 |
| June 15, 2166 | 25,187,020 | 6.606 |
| Aug. 20, 2167 | 14,040,051 | 6.966 |
| Feb. 11, 2188 | 13,404,371 | 6.982 |
| Dec. 29, 2188 | 29,072,871 | 5.848 |
| May 2, 2189 | 27,406,892 | 6.410 |
| July 4, 2190 | 22,110,141 | 6.031 |
| Sept. 28, 2190 | 29,066,961 | 4.204 |
| Aug. 26, 2191 | 19,994,109 | 9.023 |
Images and Observations
2022 AO's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 4, 2022. It was last officially observed on Dec. 17, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 69 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2022 AO can be reached with a journey of 426 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 8.365 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 108,085 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2022 AO.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2022 AO:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.029 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1886
- Inclination: 6.1°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 90.07°
- Argument of Periapsis: 145.27°
- Mean Anomaly: 110.05°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.077 km
- Magnitude: 23.95
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 381 days (1.04 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.38 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.22 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.83 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2022 AO 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 2022 AO 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.
