53409 (1999 LU7)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
• Will pass within 28,257,910 km of Earth in 2063
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

53409 (1999 LU7) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1999 LU7 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.

1999 LU7 orbits the sun every 1,110 days (3.04 years), coming as close as 0.78 AU and reaching as far as 3.42 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1999 LU7 is probably between 0.477 to 1.067 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.

Close Approaches

1999 LU7's orbit is 0.09 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.

1999 LU7 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

1999 LU7's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 10, 1999. It was last officially observed on April 20, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 117 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 1999 LU7:

• 2368 Beltrovata (1977 RA)
• 3271 Ul (1982 RB)
• 3551 Verenia (1983 RD)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 53409 (1999 LU7) 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 1999 LU7 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.