Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.54 km diameter)
- Will pass within 13,000,624 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
480936 (2003 QH5) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2003 QH5 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2003 QH5 orbits the sun every 516 days (1.41 years), coming as close as 0.98 AU and reaching as far as 1.54 AU from the sun. 2003 QH5 is about 0.5 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2003 QH5 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 6.74 hours.
Close Approaches
2003 QH5's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2003 QH5 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 14, 2020 | 13,000,624 | 9.817 |
| July 29, 2044 | 19,146,471 | 12.372 |
| July 18, 2061 | 6,285,883 | 10.074 |
| July 23, 2085 | 3,885,040 | 10.757 |
| July 20, 2102 | 5,149,059 | 10.139 |
| Aug. 1, 2126 | 20,253,366 | 12.489 |
| July 17, 2143 | 11,676,268 | 9.870 |
| July 24, 2167 | 2,787,867 | 10.673 |
| July 27, 2184 | 10,449,859 | 11.359 |
Images and Observations
2003 QH5's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 21, 2003. It was last officially observed on Aug. 10, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 261 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 2003 QH5:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.26 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2201
- Inclination: 17.62°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 299.22°
- Argument of Periapsis: 321.16°
- Mean Anomaly: 108.94°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.53700 km
- Magnitude: 20.26
- Albedo: 0.056
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 516 days (1.41 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 26.57 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.54 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.98 AU
- Rotation Period: 6.74 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 480936 (2003 QH5) 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 2003 QH5 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.
