Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 21,129,593 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
523941 (1998 HK49) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1998 HK49 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.
1998 HK49 orbits the sun every 593 days (1.62 years), coming as close as 0.92 AU and reaching as far as 1.84 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 HK49 is probably between 0.093 to 0.209 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
1998 HK49's orbit is 0.08 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.
1998 HK49 has 13 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 11, 2024 | 21,129,593 | 5.586 |
| Jan. 21, 2037 | 19,973,288 | 5.513 |
| Jan. 9, 2050 | 18,466,301 | 5.533 |
| Jan. 3, 2063 | 17,331,442 | 5.666 |
| Jan. 3, 2076 | 17,149,728 | 5.704 |
| Jan. 8, 2089 | 18,298,201 | 5.527 |
| Jan. 18, 2102 | 19,549,454 | 5.475 |
| Feb. 5, 2115 | 20,914,498 | 5.610 |
| Feb. 25, 2128 | 20,944,251 | 5.510 |
| March 22, 2141 | 18,689,885 | 5.545 |
| April 1, 2154 | 15,789,490 | 6.547 |
| April 7, 2167 | 14,362,103 | 7.831 |
| April 12, 2180 | 19,009,808 | 10.189 |
Images and Observations
1998 HK49's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 29, 1998. It was last officially observed on Nov. 14, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 94 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 1998 HK49:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.382 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3314
- Inclination: 7.62°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 57.27°
- Argument of Periapsis: 81.56°
- Mean Anomaly: 269.35°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.121 km
- Magnitude: 22.27
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 593 days (1.62 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.35 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.84 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.92 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 523941 (1998 HK49) 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 1998 HK49 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.
