Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.60 km diameter)
- Will pass within 5,340,456 km of Earth in 2036
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Adonis is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Adonis as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
Adonis orbits the sun every 937 days (2.57 years), coming as close as 0.44 AU and reaching as far as 3.31 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Adonis is about 0.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Close Approaches
Adonis's orbit is 0.01 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.
Adonis has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 7, 2036 | 5,340,456 | 23.771 |
| July 16, 2043 | 22,323,676 | 20.407 |
| July 1, 2061 | 18,584,552 | 28.391 |
| Feb. 16, 2077 | 26,335,756 | 30.117 |
| Feb. 1, 2095 | 22,973,146 | 20.170 |
| July 10, 2102 | 2,920,739 | 24.576 |
| Feb. 3, 2136 | 20,684,150 | 20.641 |
| July 10, 2143 | 3,317,656 | 24.359 |
| Feb. 9, 2177 | 3,364,337 | 24.104 |
| July 14, 2184 | 13,498,410 | 22.196 |
Images and Observations
Adonis's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 21, 1936. It was last officially observed on June 9, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 123 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 Adonis:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.874 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7643
- Inclination: 1.32°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 349.47°
- Argument of Periapsis: 43.64°
- Mean Anomaly: 77.18°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.60000 km
- Magnitude: 18.72
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 937 days (2.57 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 21.76 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.31 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.44 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Adonis 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 Adonis 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.
