54789 (2001 MZ7) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2001 MZ7 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.
2001 MZ7 orbits the sun every 865 days (2.37 years), coming as close as 1.27 AU and reaching as far as 2.29 AU from the sun. 2001 MZ7 is about 1.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to Mount Everest.
The rotation of 2001 MZ7 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 37.57 hours.
2001 MZ7's orbit is 0.29 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.
Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.
2001 MZ7's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 25, 1978. It was last officially observed on Sept. 13, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 8,682 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 54789 (2001 MZ7) 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.
The above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2001 MZ7 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.