32581 (2001 QW98)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Mars-crossing Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the island of Manhattan
• Not a Near Earth Object
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

32581 (2001 QW98) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 2001 QW98 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

2001 QW98 orbits the sun every 1,220 days (3.34 years), coming as close as 1.64 AU and reaching as far as 2.83 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 QW98 is probably between 2.304 to 5.153 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

No Close Approaches

2001 QW98's orbit is 0.64 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a very 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

2001 QW98's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 17, 1950. It was last officially observed on April 3, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,994 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 2001 QW98:

• 296 Phaetusa (A890 QB)
• 315 Constantia (A891 RB)
• 422 Berolina (A896 TA)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 32581 (2001 QW98) 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 2001 QW98 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.