Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon (1.40 km diameter)
- Will pass within 29,281,603 km of Earth in 2060
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Jason is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Jason 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.
Jason orbits the sun every 1,210 days (3.31 years), coming as close as 0.53 AU and reaching as far as 3.91 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Jason is about 1.4 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
The rotation of Jason has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 48.60 hours.
Close Approaches
Jason'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.
Jason has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2060 | 29,281,603 | 18.018 |
| Nov. 26, 2079 | 29,740,538 | 17.930 |
| Nov. 8, 2122 | 29,420,492 | 28.344 |
| May 29, 2126 | 16,682,851 | 24.747 |
| Nov. 9, 2155 | 25,793,869 | 27.679 |
| May 27, 2159 | 14,716,798 | 23.223 |
Images and Observations
Jason's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 22, 1960. It was last officially observed on Sept. 27, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,238 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 Jason:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.221 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7622
- Inclination: 4.96°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 169.06°
- Argument of Periapsis: 337.59°
- Mean Anomaly: 340.74°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 1.40000 km
- Magnitude: 16.04
- Albedo: 0.21
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,210 days (3.31 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.97 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.91 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.53 AU
- Rotation Period: 48.60 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Jason 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 Jason 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.
