Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 28,048,083 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
517681 (2015 DE198) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2015 DE198 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2015 DE198 orbits the sun every 1,080 days (2.96 years), coming as close as 0.86 AU and reaching as far as 3.26 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2015 DE198 is probably between 0.439 to 0.982 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 2015 DE198 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 33.56 hours.
Close Approaches
2015 DE198's orbit is 0.04 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.
2015 DE198 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 25, 2021 | 28,048,083 | 12.526 |
| April 15, 2024 | 7,029,417 | 14.181 |
| May 27, 2122 | 26,258,846 | 11.933 |
| May 2, 2125 | 15,384,722 | 12.222 |
| April 17, 2128 | 4,008,154 | 14.060 |
| April 6, 2131 | 19,522,141 | 17.414 |
Images and Observations
2015 DE198's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 8, 1953. It was last officially observed on Oct. 31, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 456 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 2015 DE198:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.062 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5831
- Inclination: 12.25°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 33.25°
- Argument of Periapsis: 218.14°
- Mean Anomaly: 277.35°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.567 km
- Magnitude: 18.91
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,080 days (2.96 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.77 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.26 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.86 AU
- Rotation Period: 33.56 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 517681 (2015 DE198) 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 2015 DE198 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.
