Key Facts
- Categorized as a Mars-crossing Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay (5.18 km diameter)
- Not a Near Earth Object
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Opik is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified Opik as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.
Opik orbits the sun every 1,280 days (3.50 years), coming as close as 1.47 AU and reaching as far as 3.13 AU from the sun. Opik is about 5.2 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.
The rotation of Opik has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 6.44 hours.
Opik's spectral type S (Tholen) / Ch (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain water, iron, nickel, cobalt, nitrogen, and ammonia.
No Close Approaches
Opik's orbit is 0.49 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.
Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.
Images and Observations
Opik's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 1, 1956. It was last officially observed on Sept. 19, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,567 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 Opik:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.303 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3609
- Inclination: 26.97°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 218.8°
- Argument of Periapsis: 159.36°
- Mean Anomaly: 48.41°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 5.18000 km
- Magnitude: 15.12
- Albedo: 0.056
- Spectral type (Tholen): S
- Spectral type (SMASS): Ch
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,280 days (3.50 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.57 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.13 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.47 AU
- Rotation Period: 6.44 hours
- Approx. Composition: water, iron, nickel, cobalt, nitrogen, and ammonia.
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Opik 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of Opik to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
