Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 25,057,721 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
481532 (2007 LE) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2007 LE as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2007 LE orbits the sun every 911 days (2.49 years), coming as close as 0.89 AU and reaching as far as 2.79 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2007 LE is probably between 0.317 to 0.708 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 2007 LE has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.60 hours.
Close Approaches
2007 LE's orbit is 0.05 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.
2007 LE has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2022 | 25,057,721 | 17.248 |
| June 11, 2144 | 28,708,931 | 22.888 |
| June 7, 2149 | 16,109,576 | 21.172 |
| June 3, 2154 | 7,518,414 | 19.876 |
| May 31, 2159 | 9,484,288 | 18.815 |
| May 26, 2164 | 20,287,112 | 17.705 |
Images and Observations
2007 LE's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 20, 2001. It was last officially observed on July 2, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 479 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 2007 LE:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.839 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.516
- Inclination: 29.54°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 73.65°
- Argument of Periapsis: 120.22°
- Mean Anomaly: 206.15°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.409 km
- Magnitude: 19.62
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 911 days (2.49 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 21.96 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.79 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.89 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.60 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 481532 (2007 LE) 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 2007 LE 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.
