Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 27,954,580 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2022 GE3 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2022 GE3 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 GE3 orbits the sun every 381 days (1.04 years), coming as close as 0.79 AU and reaching as far as 1.27 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2022 GE3 is probably between 0.041 to 0.184 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2022 GE3's orbit is 0.16 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 GE3 has 21 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 8, 2021 | 27,954,580 | 5.661 |
| July 19, 2021 | 28,150,203 | 5.777 |
| Jan. 6, 2025 | 24,683,474 | 7.961 |
| June 11, 2046 | 27,491,762 | 5.564 |
| July 14, 2046 | 27,703,887 | 5.464 |
| Jan. 6, 2050 | 24,335,263 | 7.277 |
| June 22, 2071 | 25,365,784 | 6.244 |
| Jan. 1, 2075 | 24,904,195 | 6.077 |
| June 17, 2096 | 26,881,616 | 5.479 |
| Jan. 7, 2100 | 24,301,580 | 7.273 |
| June 6, 2121 | 28,898,869 | 5.694 |
| July 28, 2121 | 28,616,030 | 6.308 |
| Jan. 9, 2125 | 24,768,833 | 8.142 |
| June 9, 2146 | 28,549,704 | 5.601 |
| July 25, 2146 | 28,303,708 | 6.153 |
| Jan. 10, 2150 | 24,635,342 | 8.034 |
| June 21, 2170 | 28,505,932 | 9.855 |
| Nov. 22, 2173 | 28,929,290 | 7.596 |
| Jan. 14, 2175 | 28,915,825 | 10.325 |
| June 22, 2195 | 27,341,155 | 9.344 |
| Nov. 24, 2198 | 28,795,358 | 7.465 |
Images and Observations
2022 GE3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 5, 2022. It was last officially observed on April 12, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 56 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2022 GE3 can be reached with a journey of 450 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.406 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 247 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2022 GE3.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2022 GE3:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.028 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2361
- Inclination: 9.53°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 11.88°
- Argument of Periapsis: 1.43°
- Mean Anomaly: 328.7°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.113 km
- Magnitude: 23.13
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 381 days (1.04 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.35 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.27 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.79 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2022 GE3 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 GE3 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.
