Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 19,094,181 km of Earth in 2027
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Saule is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Saule as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
Saule orbits the sun every 740 days (2.03 years), coming as close as 0.56 AU and reaching as far as 2.64 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, Saule is probably between 0.352 to 0.787 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 Saule has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 8.43 hours.
Close Approaches
Saule's orbit is 0.06 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.
Saule has 12 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 16, 2027 | 19,094,181 | 20.525 |
| Feb. 26, 2029 | 23,189,113 | 24.656 |
| Aug. 13, 2085 | 10,827,496 | 22.548 |
| Aug. 21, 2087 | 20,552,708 | 18.478 |
| Feb. 9, 2104 | 29,690,692 | 18.224 |
| Feb. 20, 2106 | 18,222,714 | 21.803 |
| March 1, 2108 | 29,700,563 | 26.100 |
| Aug. 9, 2162 | 27,565,831 | 26.259 |
| Aug. 15, 2164 | 11,070,059 | 22.063 |
| Aug. 23, 2166 | 23,834,007 | 17.940 |
| Feb. 10, 2183 | 28,747,176 | 18.517 |
| Feb. 21, 2185 | 19,194,590 | 22.025 |
Images and Observations
Saule's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 25, 2008. It was last officially observed on April 25, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 608 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 Saule:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.601 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.648
- Inclination: 19.14°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 133.4°
- Argument of Periapsis: 288.32°
- Mean Anomaly: 132.02°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.454 km
- Magnitude: 19.39
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 740 days (2.03 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 23.54 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.64 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.56 AU
- Rotation Period: 8.43 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Saule 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 Saule 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.
