Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 16,947,030 km of Earth in 2067
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
277475 (2005 WK4) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2005 WK4 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2005 WK4 orbits the sun every 371 days (1.02 years), coming as close as 0.77 AU and reaching as far as 1.25 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2005 WK4 is probably between 0.240 to 0.537 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2005 WK4 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.60 hours.
Close Approaches
2005 WK4's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2005 WK4 has 24 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 17, 2067 | 16,947,030 | 11.536 |
| Jan. 23, 2068 | 8,083,924 | 9.099 |
| Jan. 31, 2069 | 15,110,297 | 7.190 |
| Feb. 22, 2070 | 26,442,290 | 6.911 |
| Aug. 15, 2076 | 25,372,876 | 5.812 |
| Aug. 8, 2077 | 11,643,122 | 7.085 |
| Aug. 10, 2078 | 1,912,805 | 9.188 |
| Aug. 15, 2079 | 19,872,581 | 12.298 |
| Jan. 15, 2121 | 25,875,840 | 13.380 |
| Jan. 22, 2122 | 10,002,652 | 10.076 |
| Feb. 1, 2123 | 13,005,737 | 7.410 |
| Feb. 27, 2124 | 27,469,555 | 6.907 |
| Aug. 10, 2129 | 20,004,467 | 6.090 |
| Aug. 10, 2130 | 3,051,681 | 8.380 |
| Aug. 14, 2131 | 11,434,645 | 10.780 |
| Aug. 17, 2132 | 26,638,482 | 13.553 |
| Jan. 18, 2180 | 19,589,705 | 12.125 |
| Jan. 23, 2181 | 8,038,946 | 9.398 |
| Feb. 1, 2182 | 14,126,323 | 7.272 |
| Feb. 24, 2183 | 26,551,367 | 6.823 |
| Aug. 9, 2189 | 19,180,556 | 6.177 |
| Aug. 10, 2190 | 4,526,274 | 8.148 |
| Aug. 13, 2191 | 8,507,519 | 10.280 |
| Aug. 16, 2192 | 22,807,447 | 12.852 |
Images and Observations
2005 WK4's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 27, 2005. It was last officially observed on Aug. 30, 2015. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 332 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 2005 WK4:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.011 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2374
- Inclination: 9.84°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 138.12°
- Argument of Periapsis: 74.11°
- Mean Anomaly: 55.25°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.310 km
- Magnitude: 20.22
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 371 days (1.02 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.65 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.25 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.77 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.60 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 277475 (2005 WK4) 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 2005 WK4 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.
