Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 12,205,299 km of Earth in 2038
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
484506 (2008 ER7) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2008 ER7 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2008 ER7 orbits the sun every 662 days (1.81 years), coming as close as 0.56 AU and reaching as far as 2.42 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 ER7 is probably between 0.247 to 0.552 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2008 ER7's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is very close to Earth's orbit.
2008 ER7 has 14 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 24, 2038 | 12,205,299 | 21.488 |
| Jan. 31, 2046 | 25,551,674 | 13.971 |
| Aug. 1, 2067 | 8,661,953 | 17.473 |
| Feb. 15, 2075 | 10,176,943 | 21.171 |
| July 25, 2087 | 10,135,602 | 21.092 |
| Feb. 9, 2095 | 5,642,131 | 18.011 |
| Aug. 9, 2116 | 25,744,917 | 14.093 |
| Feb. 21, 2124 | 23,714,994 | 23.930 |
| July 26, 2136 | 9,345,262 | 20.952 |
| Feb. 8, 2144 | 14,878,405 | 16.139 |
| Aug. 3, 2165 | 11,982,162 | 16.816 |
| Feb. 17, 2173 | 12,615,760 | 21.693 |
| July 26, 2185 | 11,952,142 | 21.457 |
| Feb. 8, 2193 | 12,166,187 | 16.686 |
Images and Observations
2008 ER7's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 6, 2008. It was last officially observed on April 6, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 219 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 2008 ER7:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.487 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6241
- Inclination: 2.24°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 323.42°
- Argument of Periapsis: 81.02°
- Mean Anomaly: 260.39°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.319 km
- Magnitude: 20.16
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 662 days (1.81 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.44 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.42 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.56 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 484506 (2008 ER7) 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 2008 ER7 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.
