Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.50 km diameter)
- Will pass within 6,758,247 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
349068 (2006 YT13) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2006 YT13 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2006 YT13 orbits the sun every 556 days (1.52 years), coming as close as 0.76 AU and reaching as far as 1.89 AU from the sun. 2006 YT13 is about 0.5 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2006 YT13 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.43 hours.
Close Approaches
2006 YT13's orbit is 0.04 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.
2006 YT13 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2022 | 6,758,247 | 22.939 |
| Jan. 26, 2048 | 28,549,902 | 21.797 |
| July 18, 2057 | 9,616,529 | 22.560 |
| Jan. 25, 2083 | 27,767,007 | 22.858 |
| July 13, 2092 | 21,299,684 | 21.508 |
| July 26, 2095 | 17,781,794 | 25.206 |
| July 24, 2130 | 7,803,687 | 23.885 |
| July 23, 2165 | 6,727,267 | 23.702 |
| July 13, 2197 | 27,580,169 | 21.072 |
Images and Observations
2006 YT13's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 26, 2006. It was last officially observed on Aug. 29, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 453 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 2006 YT13:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.323 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4259
- Inclination: 38.24°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 116.7°
- Argument of Periapsis: 105.45°
- Mean Anomaly: 305.88°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.49600 km
- Magnitude: 18.34
- Albedo: 0.343
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 556 days (1.52 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.89 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.89 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.76 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.43 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 349068 (2006 YT13) 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 2006 YT13 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.
