40271 (1999 JT)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Mars-crossing Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the island of Manhattan
• Not a Near Earth Object
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

40271 (1999 JT) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 1999 JT as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1999 JT orbits the sun every 1,270 days (3.48 years), coming as close as 1.66 AU and reaching as far as 2.92 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1999 JT is probably between 2.874 to 6.427 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

No Close Approaches

1999 JT's orbit is 0.79 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a very wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

1999 JT's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 3, 1996. It was last officially observed on July 1, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,679 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 1999 JT:

• 18 Melpomene (A852 MA)
• 80 Sappho (A864 JA)
• 136 Austria (A874 FA)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 40271 (1999 JT) 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 1999 JT 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.