Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.87 km diameter)
- Will pass within 15,295,760 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
23606 (1996 AS1) is a small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 1996 AS1 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.
1996 AS1 orbits the sun every 846 days (2.32 years), coming as close as 1.12 AU and reaching as far as 2.38 AU from the sun. 1996 AS1 is about 0.9 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
1996 AS1's orbit is 0.10 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.
1996 AS1 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2022 | 15,295,760 | 8.541 |
| July 14, 2066 | 19,931,792 | 8.814 |
| July 24, 2103 | 20,035,135 | 8.960 |
| July 20, 2147 | 15,232,101 | 8.549 |
| July 16, 2191 | 20,350,238 | 8.906 |
Images and Observations
1996 AS1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 18, 1985. It was last officially observed on Nov. 28, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 722 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 1996 AS1:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.75 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3611
- Inclination: 14.36°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 296.61°
- Argument of Periapsis: 357.61°
- Mean Anomaly: 180.03°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.86600 km
- Magnitude: 18.4
- Albedo: 0.123
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 846 days (2.32 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.50 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.38 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.12 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 23606 (1996 AS1) 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 1996 AS1 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.
