Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 5,724,953 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2023 LN1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2023 LN1 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.
2023 LN1 orbits the sun every 272 days (0.74 years), coming as close as 0.58 AU and reaching as far as 1.06 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2023 LN1 is probably between 0.030 to 0.133 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2023 LN1's orbit is 0.04 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.
2023 LN1 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2020 | 5,724,953 | 6.304 |
| July 10, 2023 | 6,855,708 | 5.786 |
| July 29, 2026 | 13,777,847 | 8.432 |
| May 28, 2046 | 18,723,734 | 9.747 |
| June 7, 2049 | 5,536,179 | 6.129 |
| July 30, 2055 | 15,573,493 | 8.840 |
| May 29, 2075 | 17,165,388 | 9.407 |
| July 29, 2084 | 17,484,361 | 9.297 |
| May 30, 2159 | 22,917,390 | 10.726 |
Images and Observations
2023 LN1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 13, 2023. It was last officially observed on July 20, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 166 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2023 LN1 can be reached with a journey of 210 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.608 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 1,754 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2023 LN1.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2023 LN1:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.8211 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2954
- Inclination: 5.64°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 274.56°
- Argument of Periapsis: 182.61°
- Mean Anomaly: 283.66°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.082 km
- Magnitude: 23.84
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 272 days (0.74 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 32.84 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.06 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.58 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2023 LN1 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 LN1 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.
