Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 21,777,434 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
330659 (2008 GG2) is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2008 GG2 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.
2008 GG2 orbits the sun every 730 days (2.00 years), coming as close as 1.15 AU and reaching as far as 2.03 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 GG2 is probably between 0.067 to 0.150 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2008 GG2's orbit is 0.14 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.
2008 GG2 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 10, 2020 | 21,777,434 | 7.164 |
| April 10, 2022 | 21,815,105 | 7.176 |
| April 10, 2024 | 21,830,860 | 7.177 |
| April 11, 2026 | 22,056,864 | 7.190 |
| April 10, 2028 | 22,243,992 | 7.212 |
| April 11, 2030 | 22,565,519 | 7.231 |
| April 11, 2032 | 23,138,830 | 7.263 |
| April 11, 2034 | 23,945,487 | 7.329 |
| April 11, 2036 | 24,820,396 | 7.386 |
| April 12, 2038 | 26,470,761 | 7.484 |
| April 12, 2040 | 28,473,942 | 7.623 |
Images and Observations
2008 GG2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 30, 2004. It was last officially observed on May 11, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 271 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 2008 GG2:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.587 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2777
- Inclination: 13.02°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 198.66°
- Argument of Periapsis: 0.69°
- Mean Anomaly: 257.53°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.087 km
- Magnitude: 22.99
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 730 days (2.00 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 23.65 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.03 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.15 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 330659 (2008 GG2) 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 2008 GG2 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.
