Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 16,106,804 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
207398 (2006 AS2) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2006 AS2 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2006 AS2 orbits the sun every 1,100 days (3.01 years), coming as close as 0.75 AU and reaching as far as 3.43 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2006 AS2 is probably between 0.223 to 0.499 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2006 AS2 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 4.48 hours.
Close Approaches
2006 AS2'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.
2006 AS2 has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 16, 2021 | 16,106,804 | 13.435 |
| July 2, 2024 | 8,359,001 | 18.108 |
| July 11, 2027 | 27,798,567 | 22.043 |
| Feb. 3, 2115 | 20,962,142 | 20.320 |
| Feb. 23, 2118 | 16,110,905 | 13.160 |
| May 29, 2124 | 27,780,595 | 12.395 |
| July 4, 2127 | 10,766,607 | 18.126 |
Images and Observations
2006 AS2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 23, 2003. It was last officially observed on Aug. 10, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 462 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 2006 AS2:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.09 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6416
- Inclination: 2.59°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 125.67°
- Argument of Periapsis: 79.97°
- Mean Anomaly: 279.43°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.288 km
- Magnitude: 20.38
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,100 days (3.01 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.67 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.43 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.75 AU
- Rotation Period: 4.48 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 207398 (2006 AS2) 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 2006 AS2 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.
