Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 24,061,687 km of Earth in 2029
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
378160 (2006 WX1) is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2006 WX1 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2006 WX1 orbits the sun every 320 days (0.88 years), coming as close as 0.64 AU and reaching as far as 1.19 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2006 WX1 is probably between 0.308 to 0.689 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.
Close Approaches
2006 WX1's orbit is 0.03 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 WX1 has 26 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 4, 2029 | 24,061,687 | 15.303 |
| Sept. 24, 2034 | 24,932,595 | 9.081 |
| Feb. 8, 2036 | 9,427,982 | 12.397 |
| Oct. 1, 2041 | 22,069,188 | 10.527 |
| Feb. 10, 2043 | 4,867,713 | 10.531 |
| Oct. 8, 2048 | 25,768,027 | 13.027 |
| Feb. 10, 2050 | 18,509,859 | 8.167 |
| Feb. 4, 2079 | 24,907,089 | 15.457 |
| Sept. 21, 2084 | 26,171,263 | 8.859 |
| Feb. 7, 2086 | 12,065,590 | 12.944 |
| Sept. 30, 2091 | 22,494,911 | 10.016 |
| Feb. 9, 2093 | 4,274,328 | 11.040 |
| Oct. 6, 2098 | 23,368,598 | 11.948 |
| Feb. 11, 2100 | 11,462,602 | 9.169 |
| Oct. 11, 2105 | 29,296,896 | 14.110 |
| Feb. 8, 2107 | 23,144,101 | 7.698 |
| Feb. 5, 2136 | 27,755,465 | 16.041 |
| Sept. 26, 2141 | 24,148,375 | 9.284 |
| Feb. 10, 2143 | 6,561,101 | 11.827 |
| Oct. 5, 2148 | 22,477,032 | 11.284 |
| Feb. 12, 2150 | 8,577,829 | 9.656 |
| Oct. 12, 2155 | 28,796,697 | 13.953 |
| Feb. 7, 2157 | 23,214,870 | 7.716 |
| Feb. 7, 2186 | 19,537,144 | 14.423 |
| Oct. 3, 2191 | 22,178,013 | 10.621 |
| Feb. 12, 2193 | 7,530,103 | 9.835 |
Images and Observations
2006 WX1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 19, 2006. It was last officially observed on Dec. 22, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 254 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 WX1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9165 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3002
- Inclination: 11.64°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 327.96°
- Argument of Periapsis: 290.93°
- Mean Anomaly: 225.27°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.398 km
- Magnitude: 19.68
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 320 days (0.88 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 31.16 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.19 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.64 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 378160 (2006 WX1) 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 WX1 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.
