Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 25,420,643 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
489486 (2007 GS3) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2007 GS3 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2007 GS3 orbits the sun every 399 days (1.09 years), coming as close as 0.92 AU and reaching as far as 1.20 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2007 GS3 is probably between 0.229 to 1.026 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2007 GS3 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 3.50 hours.
Close Approaches
2007 GS3's orbit is 0.02 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 GS3 has 22 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2019 | 25,420,643 | 8.180 |
| Oct. 28, 2019 | 22,571,536 | 8.114 |
| Oct. 17, 2031 | 15,802,233 | 8.912 |
| April 17, 2042 | 13,944,473 | 10.337 |
| Oct. 13, 2043 | 28,778,196 | 11.341 |
| April 26, 2054 | 6,165,655 | 8.515 |
| Oct. 21, 2066 | 17,059,301 | 8.350 |
| April 15, 2077 | 18,543,511 | 10.950 |
| Oct. 13, 2078 | 26,190,422 | 10.887 |
| April 29, 2089 | 11,070,127 | 8.244 |
| Oct. 18, 2101 | 15,768,285 | 8.826 |
| April 22, 2112 | 4,515,851 | 9.201 |
| May 3, 2124 | 15,954,811 | 8.114 |
| Nov. 3, 2124 | 28,066,826 | 8.081 |
| Oct. 21, 2136 | 16,270,442 | 8.423 |
| April 15, 2147 | 24,185,143 | 11.742 |
| Oct. 14, 2148 | 21,754,643 | 10.156 |
| April 24, 2159 | 3,227,468 | 9.003 |
| April 29, 2171 | 8,200,154 | 8.386 |
| May 13, 2183 | 26,253,339 | 8.222 |
| Oct. 28, 2183 | 21,489,861 | 8.129 |
| Oct. 19, 2195 | 15,473,287 | 8.789 |
Images and Observations
2007 GS3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 11, 2007. It was last officially observed on Jan. 8, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 623 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2007 GS3 can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.664 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 43 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2007 GS3.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2007 GS3:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.061 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1291
- Inclination: 15.09°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 215.39°
- Argument of Periapsis: 61.06°
- Mean Anomaly: 305.53°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.628 km
- Magnitude: 19.4
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 399 days (1.09 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.93 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.20 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.92 AU
- Rotation Period: 3.50 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 489486 (2007 GS3) 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 2007 GS3 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.
