Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 26,619,186 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
612012 (1983 LC) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1983 LC as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1983 LC orbits the sun every 1,530 days (4.19 years), coming as close as 0.74 AU and reaching as far as 4.46 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1983 LC is probably between 0.342 to 0.766 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.
Close Approaches
1983 LC's orbit is 0.03 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.
1983 LC has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 20, 2021 | 26,619,186 | 13.994 |
| Oct. 23, 2042 | 22,319,034 | 13.792 |
| June 24, 2076 | 9,591,600 | 19.603 |
| June 26, 2097 | 5,128,986 | 18.854 |
| June 29, 2135 | 7,879,691 | 19.037 |
| Nov. 20, 2160 | 8,325,702 | 19.215 |
| July 6, 2177 | 6,287,584 | 16.859 |
| Nov. 23, 2198 | 17,567,241 | 20.934 |
Images and Observations
1983 LC's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 13, 1983. It was last officially observed on Nov. 8, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 167 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 1983 LC:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.603 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7149
- Inclination: 1.56°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 159.69°
- Argument of Periapsis: 184.91°
- Mean Anomaly: 176.85°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.442 km
- Magnitude: 19.45
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,530 days (4.19 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.51 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.46 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.74 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 612012 (1983 LC) 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 below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 1983 LC to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
