Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field (0.22 km diameter)
- Will pass within 17,107,184 km of Earth in 2061
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
230549 (2003 BH) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2003 BH as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2003 BH orbits the sun every 642 days (1.76 years), coming as close as 0.94 AU and reaching as far as 1.97 AU from the sun. 2003 BH is about 0.2 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2003 BH's orbit is 0.03 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.
2003 BH has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 2, 2061 | 17,107,184 | 8.385 |
| Jan. 19, 2068 | 7,130,499 | 10.832 |
| Jan. 3, 2112 | 17,507,559 | 8.365 |
| Jan. 23, 2119 | 11,912,915 | 11.635 |
| Jan. 15, 2163 | 4,992,169 | 9.618 |
| Jan. 27, 2170 | 22,342,619 | 13.344 |
Images and Observations
2003 BH's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 18, 2003. It was last officially observed on July 16, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 165 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 2003 BH:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.456 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3561
- Inclination: 13.11°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 119.77°
- Argument of Periapsis: 313.39°
- Mean Anomaly: 294.31°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.21700 km
- Magnitude: 20.78
- Albedo: 0.216
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 642 days (1.76 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.67 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.97 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.94 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 230549 (2003 BH) 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 2003 BH 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.
