Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 27,968,171 km of Earth in 2030
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Ahau is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Ahau 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.
Ahau orbits the sun every 563 days (1.54 years), coming as close as 0.93 AU and reaching as far as 1.74 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, Ahau is probably between 0.864 to 1.932 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Close Approaches
Ahau'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.
Ahau has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 17, 2030 | 27,968,171 | 16.526 |
| Jan. 12, 2047 | 17,760,470 | 12.753 |
| Jan. 15, 2084 | 16,682,146 | 14.489 |
| Jan. 12, 2101 | 23,830,892 | 12.113 |
| Jan. 14, 2138 | 15,154,254 | 13.271 |
| Jan. 16, 2175 | 16,442,592 | 14.474 |
| Jan. 13, 2192 | 23,927,577 | 12.103 |
Images and Observations
Ahau's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 28, 1993. It was last officially observed on June 22, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 820 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 Ahau:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.335 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3059
- Inclination: 21.92°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 121.05°
- Argument of Periapsis: 287.53°
- Mean Anomaly: 350.35°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~1.116 km
- Magnitude: 17.44
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 563 days (1.54 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.80 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.74 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.93 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Ahau 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 Ahau 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.
