Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon
- Will pass within 19,594,252 km of Earth in 2035
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
253841 (2003 YG118) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2003 YG118 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2003 YG118 orbits the sun every 1,260 days (3.45 years), coming as close as 0.81 AU and reaching as far as 3.76 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2003 YG118 is probably between 0.930 to 2.080 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
The rotation of 2003 YG118 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.27 hours.
Close Approaches
2003 YG118's orbit is 0.01 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 YG118 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2035 | 19,594,252 | 16.439 |
| March 14, 2042 | 13,307,800 | 13.616 |
| July 13, 2066 | 21,267,660 | 17.991 |
| April 11, 2073 | 28,732,813 | 12.666 |
| Feb. 25, 2118 | 16,832,522 | 19.202 |
| July 15, 2142 | 18,113,022 | 17.565 |
| March 15, 2149 | 14,275,906 | 13.562 |
| March 13, 2187 | 8,781,464 | 14.115 |
Images and Observations
2003 YG118's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 17, 2003. It was last officially observed on Oct. 2, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 519 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 YG118:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.284 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6452
- Inclination: 8.04°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 347.76°
- Argument of Periapsis: 233.07°
- Mean Anomaly: 216.24°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~1.201 km
- Magnitude: 17.28
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,260 days (3.45 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.72 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.76 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.81 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.27 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 253841 (2003 YG118) 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 2003 YG118 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.
