Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 20,041,640 km of Earth in 2026
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
253062 (2002 TC70) is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2002 TC70 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.
2002 TC70 orbits the sun every 585 days (1.60 years), coming as close as 1.10 AU and reaching as far as 1.64 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2002 TC70 is probably between 0.105 to 0.469 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2002 TC70 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 26.27 hours.
Close Approaches
2002 TC70's orbit is 0.08 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.
2002 TC70 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2026 | 20,041,640 | 2.836 |
| July 24, 2034 | 20,500,438 | 2.848 |
| July 28, 2042 | 25,174,894 | 3.155 |
| July 16, 2125 | 23,663,601 | 3.422 |
| July 18, 2133 | 21,569,339 | 3.236 |
| July 17, 2141 | 23,632,832 | 3.446 |
Images and Observations
2002 TC70's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 2, 2002. It was last officially observed on Feb. 6, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 255 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2002 TC70 can be reached with a journey of 434 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.488 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 9,031 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2002 TC70.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2002 TC70:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.369 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1964
- Inclination: 2.15°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 134.74°
- Argument of Periapsis: 162.14°
- Mean Anomaly: 82.94°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.287 km
- Magnitude: 21.1
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 585 days (1.60 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.46 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.64 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.10 AU
- Rotation Period: 26.27 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 253062 (2002 TC70) 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 2002 TC70 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.
