Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 28,579,773 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Illapa is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Illapa as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
Illapa orbits the sun every 656 days (1.80 years), coming as close as 0.37 AU and reaching as far as 2.59 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, Illapa is probably between 0.715 to 1.600 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of Illapa has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.66 hours.
Close Approaches
Illapa's orbit is 0.02 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.
Illapa has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 8, 2021 | 28,579,773 | 31.545 |
| Aug. 24, 2091 | 27,565,842 | 21.146 |
| Aug. 21, 2100 | 14,949,933 | 23.456 |
| Aug. 19, 2109 | 6,292,654 | 25.367 |
| Aug. 17, 2118 | 6,497,644 | 26.821 |
| Aug. 14, 2127 | 16,010,165 | 28.917 |
| Aug. 9, 2136 | 29,507,110 | 31.638 |
Images and Observations
Illapa's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 1, 1994. It was last officially observed on June 2, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 649 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 Illapa:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.478 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7524
- Inclination: 18.03°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 139.54°
- Argument of Periapsis: 303.87°
- Mean Anomaly: 35.58°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.924 km
- Magnitude: 17.85
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 656 days (1.80 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.51 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.59 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.37 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.66 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Illapa 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of Illapa to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
