Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay (5.23 km diameter)
- Will pass within 14,786,353 km of Earth in 2029
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Zeus is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Zeus 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.
Zeus orbits the sun every 1,250 days (3.42 years), coming as close as 0.79 AU and reaching as far as 3.74 AU from the sun. Zeus is about 5.2 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.
Close Approaches
Zeus's orbit is 0.06 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.
Zeus has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 8, 2029 | 14,786,353 | 18.182 |
| Jan. 14, 2047 | 25,470,956 | 13.490 |
| April 13, 2064 | 28,225,140 | 15.853 |
| Dec. 12, 2159 | 9,622,190 | 17.365 |
Images and Observations
Zeus's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 13, 1988. It was last officially observed on July 12, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,346 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 Zeus:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.266 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6519
- Inclination: 11.2°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 280.59°
- Argument of Periapsis: 218.45°
- Mean Anomaly: 50.7°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 5.23100 km
- Magnitude: 15.47
- Albedo: 0.031
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,250 days (3.42 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.72 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.74 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.79 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Zeus 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 Zeus 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.
