Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay (6.74 km diameter)
- Will pass within 24,429,631 km of Earth in 2028
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
52762 (1998 MT24) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1998 MT24 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 MT24 orbits the sun every 1,370 days (3.75 years), coming as close as 0.84 AU and reaching as far as 4.00 AU from the sun. 1998 MT24 is about 6.7 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.
The rotation of 1998 MT24 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 12.08 hours.
Close Approaches
1998 MT24's orbit is 0.14 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 MT24 has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 9, 2028 | 24,429,631 | 22.060 |
| Feb. 11, 2043 | 29,664,851 | 21.142 |
| Feb. 10, 2058 | 28,129,924 | 21.369 |
| Feb. 9, 2167 | 26,701,380 | 21.663 |
Images and Observations
1998 MT24's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 2, 1953. It was last officially observed on Dec. 12, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 794 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 MT24:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.417 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6529
- Inclination: 33.86°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 308.96°
- Argument of Periapsis: 254.5°
- Mean Anomaly: 284.24°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 6.74200 km
- Magnitude: 14.92
- Albedo: 0.051
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,370 days (3.75 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.19 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.00 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.84 AU
- Rotation Period: 12.08 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 52762 (1998 MT24) 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 1998 MT24 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.
