Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.60 km diameter)
- Will pass within 27,736,549 km of Earth in 2117
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
4688 (1980 WF) is a small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 1980 WF 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.
1980 WF orbits the sun every 1,220 days (3.34 years), coming as close as 1.08 AU and reaching as far as 3.39 AU from the sun. 1980 WF is about 0.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
1980 WF's spectral type QU (Tholen) / V (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
1980 WF's orbit is 0.11 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.
1980 WF has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 8, 2117 | 27,736,549 | 8.948 |
| Dec. 23, 2127 | 17,094,430 | 5.881 |
| Dec. 25, 2137 | 17,620,392 | 5.860 |
Images and Observations
1980 WF's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 29, 1980. It was last officially observed on April 7, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 332 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 1980 WF:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.232 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5179
- Inclination: 6.38°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 241.23°
- Argument of Periapsis: 213.81°
- Mean Anomaly: 287.14°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.60000 km
- Magnitude: 19.6
- Albedo: 0.18
- Spectral type (Tholen): QU
- Spectral type (SMASS): V
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,220 days (3.34 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.90 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.39 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.08 AU
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 4688 (1980 WF) 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 1980 WF 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.
