Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 7,356,573 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
455176 (1999 VF22) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1999 VF22 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1999 VF22 orbits the sun every 549 days (1.50 years), coming as close as 0.34 AU and reaching as far as 2.28 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1999 VF22 is probably between 0.193 to 0.431 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 1999 VF22 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 6.68 hours.
Close Approaches
1999 VF22'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.
1999 VF22 has 16 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 20, 2019 | 7,356,573 | 26.485 |
| Feb. 22, 2022 | 5,366,184 | 25.105 |
| Feb. 24, 2025 | 10,466,382 | 23.610 |
| Feb. 26, 2028 | 17,062,320 | 22.175 |
| Feb. 28, 2031 | 25,070,202 | 20.586 |
| Oct. 26, 2124 | 25,117,384 | 20.632 |
| Oct. 29, 2127 | 15,545,746 | 22.576 |
| Oct. 31, 2130 | 7,707,826 | 24.472 |
| Nov. 3, 2133 | 7,638,595 | 26.359 |
| Nov. 5, 2136 | 15,402,085 | 28.308 |
| Nov. 9, 2139 | 25,065,449 | 30.414 |
| Feb. 18, 2144 | 20,323,647 | 29.491 |
| Feb. 21, 2147 | 10,732,768 | 27.396 |
| Feb. 23, 2150 | 4,617,488 | 25.485 |
| Feb. 26, 2153 | 9,952,236 | 23.646 |
| Feb. 29, 2156 | 19,957,614 | 21.582 |
Images and Observations
1999 VF22's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 10, 1999. It was last officially observed on Feb. 22, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 393 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 VF22:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.313 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7384
- Inclination: 3.92°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 3.3°
- Argument of Periapsis: 271.91°
- Mean Anomaly: 341.4°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.249 km
- Magnitude: 20.7
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 549 days (1.50 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 26.02 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.28 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.34 AU
- Rotation Period: 6.68 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 455176 (1999 VF22) 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 1999 VF22 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.
