Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 27,432,385 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
497113 (2004 EK1) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2004 EK1 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.
2004 EK1 orbits the sun every 510 days (1.40 years), coming as close as 0.94 AU and reaching as far as 1.56 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2004 EK1 is probably between 0.061 to 0.273 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
Close Approaches
2004 EK1's orbit is 0.03 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.
2004 EK1 has 14 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 29, 2024 | 27,432,385 | 6.929 |
| Jan. 10, 2025 | 29,822,910 | 6.274 |
| March 7, 2078 | 16,959,402 | 10.545 |
| March 3, 2085 | 6,396,249 | 8.721 |
| March 1, 2092 | 5,354,740 | 8.407 |
| March 4, 2099 | 8,928,281 | 9.205 |
| March 11, 2106 | 22,574,331 | 11.500 |
| Nov. 2, 2157 | 28,094,883 | 6.901 |
| Feb. 19, 2165 | 19,228,162 | 6.558 |
| Feb. 26, 2172 | 10,647,753 | 7.161 |
| Feb. 28, 2179 | 7,070,406 | 7.598 |
| Feb. 27, 2186 | 8,158,121 | 7.458 |
| Feb. 23, 2193 | 14,739,402 | 6.808 |
| Oct. 30, 2199 | 28,790,141 | 6.471 |
Images and Observations
2004 EK1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 14, 2004. It was last officially observed on May 14, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 200 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2004 EK1 can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.12 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 159 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2004 EK1.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2004 EK1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.25 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2507
- Inclination: 11.64°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 166.88°
- Argument of Periapsis: 300.43°
- Mean Anomaly: 23.23°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.167 km
- Magnitude: 22.27
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 510 days (1.40 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 26.66 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.56 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.94 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 497113 (2004 EK1) 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 2004 EK1 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.
