Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 9,199,497 km of Earth in 2035
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
342866 (2008 YU32) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2008 YU32 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2008 YU32 orbits the sun every 696 days (1.91 years), coming as close as 0.62 AU and reaching as far as 2.45 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 YU32 is probably between 0.238 to 0.532 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.
Close Approaches
2008 YU32's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2008 YU32 has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2035 | 9,199,497 | 20.113 |
| Nov. 8, 2050 | 2,664,934 | 17.830 |
| Nov. 15, 2069 | 18,580,224 | 22.055 |
| May 4, 2094 | 5,006,682 | 19.295 |
| May 5, 2113 | 6,089,740 | 19.509 |
| April 27, 2132 | 26,473,782 | 23.540 |
| Nov. 15, 2145 | 12,923,244 | 20.936 |
| Nov. 5, 2164 | 15,201,281 | 15.283 |
| May 10, 2168 | 8,654,671 | 16.628 |
| April 30, 2187 | 22,301,129 | 22.734 |
Images and Observations
2008 YU32's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 31, 2008. It was last officially observed on May 12, 2014. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 183 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 YU32:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.537 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5954
- Inclination: 3.41°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 232.57°
- Argument of Periapsis: 83.99°
- Mean Anomaly: 295.81°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.307 km
- Magnitude: 20.24
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 696 days (1.91 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.02 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.45 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.62 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 342866 (2008 YU32) 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 YU32 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.
