Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 13,826,465 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
354182 (2002 DU3) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2002 DU3 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2002 DU3 orbits the sun every 448 days (1.23 years), coming as close as 0.87 AU and reaching as far as 1.42 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2002 DU3 is probably between 0.121 to 0.541 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.
The rotation of 2002 DU3 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 4.40 hours.
2002 DU3's spectral type None (Tholen) / Sq (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
2002 DU3'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.
2002 DU3 has 23 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 22, 2024 | 13,826,465 | 7.595 |
| March 12, 2029 | 14,304,330 | 10.815 |
| Aug. 28, 2035 | 27,115,603 | 12.298 |
| March 27, 2040 | 10,749,273 | 6.767 |
| June 7, 2051 | 29,450,400 | 6.255 |
| Aug. 23, 2062 | 13,478,046 | 7.876 |
| March 14, 2067 | 11,562,268 | 10.321 |
| Aug. 28, 2073 | 29,373,525 | 12.780 |
| March 29, 2078 | 12,495,894 | 6.563 |
| June 6, 2089 | 29,460,807 | 6.258 |
| Aug. 23, 2100 | 13,393,086 | 7.970 |
| March 16, 2105 | 9,088,846 | 9.888 |
| April 17, 2116 | 21,062,603 | 6.162 |
| Aug. 27, 2127 | 22,082,966 | 5.720 |
| March 8, 2132 | 28,896,149 | 13.531 |
| Aug. 26, 2138 | 16,542,785 | 9.862 |
| March 20, 2143 | 2,321,308 | 8.727 |
| Aug. 27, 2149 | 15,557,706 | 9.656 |
| March 11, 2154 | 23,608,326 | 12.529 |
| Aug. 25, 2160 | 16,901,574 | 6.442 |
| June 10, 2171 | 29,800,537 | 6.214 |
| April 14, 2182 | 20,120,220 | 6.089 |
| March 21, 2193 | 611,960 | 8.373 |
Images and Observations
2002 DU3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 25, 2002. It was last officially observed on Jan. 11, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 160 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2002 DU3 can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 9.383 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 2,494 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2002 DU3.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2002 DU3:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.145 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2382
- Inclination: 8.7°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 0.68°
- Argument of Periapsis: 245.54°
- Mean Anomaly: 140.75°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.331 km
- Magnitude: 20.79
- Spectral type (SMASS): Sq
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 448 days (1.23 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.80 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.42 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.87 AU
- Rotation Period: 4.40 hours
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 354182 (2002 DU3) 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 2002 DU3 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.
