Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 2,358,367 km of Earth in 2023
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2023 DQ is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2023 DQ as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2023 DQ orbits the sun every 748 days (2.05 years), coming as close as 0.74 AU and reaching as far as 2.48 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2023 DQ is probably between 0.117 to 0.262 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
Close Approaches
2023 DQ's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2023 DQ has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 8, 2023 | 2,358,367 | 22.848 |
| March 11, 2066 | 13,171,347 | 21.460 |
| Aug. 25, 2072 | 29,390,451 | 21.911 |
| March 3, 2107 | 15,410,770 | 25.218 |
| March 17, 2109 | 28,830,107 | 19.741 |
| March 1, 2150 | 21,914,693 | 26.186 |
| March 14, 2152 | 22,117,690 | 20.415 |
| Aug. 27, 2158 | 28,469,206 | 22.362 |
| March 2, 2193 | 19,036,079 | 25.757 |
| March 16, 2195 | 26,189,563 | 19.984 |
Images and Observations
2023 DQ's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 23, 2023. It was last officially observed on March 9, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 139 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 2023 DQ:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.613 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5395
- Inclination: 32.91°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 166.0°
- Argument of Periapsis: 75.13°
- Mean Anomaly: 67.5°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.151 km
- Magnitude: 21.78
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 748 days (2.05 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 23.46 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.48 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.74 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2023 DQ 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 2023 DQ 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.
