Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 10,568,872 km of Earth in 2050
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
357439 (2004 BL86) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2004 BL86 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2004 BL86 orbits the sun every 673 days (1.84 years), coming as close as 0.90 AU and reaching as far as 2.11 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2004 BL86 is probably between 0.369 to 0.824 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.
The rotation of 2004 BL86 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.62 hours.
Close Approaches
2004 BL86'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.
2004 BL86 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 22, 2050 | 10,568,872 | 14.719 |
| Feb. 6, 2061 | 29,111,868 | 19.243 |
| Jan. 25, 2096 | 3,571,785 | 15.329 |
| Feb. 1, 2107 | 12,785,443 | 17.072 |
| Jan. 22, 2164 | 13,402,881 | 14.529 |
| Jan. 29, 2175 | 3,063,036 | 15.963 |
Images and Observations
2004 BL86's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 30, 2004. It was last officially observed on June 28, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,068 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 2004 BL86:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.502 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4025
- Inclination: 23.78°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 126.66°
- Argument of Periapsis: 311.51°
- Mean Anomaly: 266.82°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.476 km
- Magnitude: 19.29
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 673 days (1.84 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.28 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.11 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.90 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.62 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 357439 (2004 BL86) 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 2004 BL86 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.
