Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 10,389,366 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
612050 (1997 GL3) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1997 GL3 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1997 GL3 orbits the sun every 1,250 days (3.42 years), coming as close as 0.49 AU and reaching as far as 4.05 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1997 GL3 is probably between 0.395 to 0.883 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.
The rotation of 1997 GL3 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 7.57 hours.
1997 GL3's spectral type None (Tholen) / V (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
1997 GL3's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
1997 GL3 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2021 | 10,389,366 | 26.492 |
| Sept. 18, 2034 | 10,785,229 | 26.244 |
| March 29, 2045 | 21,196,355 | 20.448 |
| April 16, 2062 | 26,736,724 | 29.870 |
| Sept. 11, 2075 | 28,136,709 | 30.250 |
| Sept. 19, 2092 | 3,191,890 | 25.292 |
| April 8, 2130 | 6,858,732 | 24.176 |
| Sept. 21, 2153 | 776,137 | 24.988 |
| April 7, 2194 | 15,876,906 | 22.724 |
Images and Observations
1997 GL3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 7, 1997. It was last officially observed on June 9, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 748 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 1997 GL3:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.27 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7843
- Inclination: 6.68°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 194.35°
- Argument of Periapsis: 262.56°
- Mean Anomaly: 268.34°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.510 km
- Magnitude: 19.14
- Spectral type (SMASS): V
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,250 days (3.42 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.76 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.05 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.49 AU
- Rotation Period: 7.57 hours
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 612050 (1997 GL3) 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 1997 GL3 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.
