Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.88 km diameter)
- Will pass within 9,874,650 km of Earth in 2125
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
243566 (1995 SA) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1995 SA as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1995 SA orbits the sun every 1,410 days (3.86 years), coming as close as 0.88 AU and reaching as far as 4.05 AU from the sun. 1995 SA 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.
The rotation of 1995 SA has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.31 hours.
Close Approaches
1995 SA'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.
1995 SA has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 16, 2125 | 9,874,650 | 16.644 |
Images and Observations
1995 SA's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 7, 1991. It was last officially observed on Oct. 24, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 577 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 1995 SA:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.464 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6424
- Inclination: 19.77°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 169.95°
- Argument of Periapsis: 53.33°
- Mean Anomaly: 154.16°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.88100 km
- Magnitude: 17.37
- Albedo: 0.091
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,410 days (3.86 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.01 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.05 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.88 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.31 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 243566 (1995 SA) 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 1995 SA 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.
