30717 (1937 UD)

Mid-sized Mars-crossing Asteroid

Space Reference » Mars-crossing Asteroids » 30717 (1937 UD)

Key Facts

Overview

30717 (1937 UD) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 1937 UD as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1937 UD orbits the sun every 1,170 days (3.20 years), coming as close as 1.44 AU and reaching as far as 2.89 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1937 UD is probably between 2.562 to 5.728 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

The rotation of 1937 UD has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 5.51 hours.

No Close Approaches

1937 UD's orbit is 0.45 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.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

1937 UD's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 26, 1937. It was last officially observed on June 30, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,982 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 1937 UD:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.168 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.3348
  • Inclination: 8.97°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 33.04°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 314.85°
  • Mean Anomaly: 345.07°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~3.307 km
  • Magnitude: 15.08

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,170 days (3.20 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.16 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.89 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.44 AU
  • Rotation Period: 5.51 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 30717 (1937 UD) 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 1937 UD 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.