Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 16,448,408 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
612227 (2001 QC34) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2001 QC34 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2001 QC34 orbits the sun every 438 days (1.20 years), coming as close as 0.92 AU and reaching as far as 1.34 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 QC34 is probably between 0.159 to 0.709 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
2001 QC34'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.
2001 QC34 has 22 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 6, 2020 | 16,448,408 | 4.089 |
| Feb. 16, 2026 | 16,028,848 | 4.455 |
| Feb. 8, 2032 | 15,489,977 | 4.585 |
| Feb. 6, 2038 | 15,341,893 | 4.609 |
| Feb. 11, 2044 | 15,726,365 | 4.552 |
| Feb. 22, 2050 | 16,265,765 | 4.320 |
| March 22, 2056 | 16,247,072 | 4.029 |
| April 5, 2062 | 17,092,543 | 5.681 |
| April 11, 2068 | 24,901,948 | 8.364 |
| Nov. 22, 2102 | 28,778,844 | 10.458 |
| Nov. 30, 2108 | 14,462,857 | 7.700 |
| Dec. 6, 2114 | 7,090,784 | 6.263 |
| Dec. 2, 2120 | 10,479,757 | 6.929 |
| Nov. 25, 2126 | 23,034,559 | 9.332 |
| April 13, 2164 | 22,769,616 | 7.798 |
| April 8, 2170 | 16,374,499 | 5.208 |
| March 11, 2176 | 16,633,261 | 3.910 |
| Feb. 12, 2182 | 16,016,772 | 4.508 |
| Jan. 31, 2188 | 14,809,002 | 4.649 |
| April 26, 2188 | 22,838,398 | 3.307 |
| Jan. 23, 2194 | 13,799,312 | 4.682 |
| May 2, 2194 | 24,287,610 | 3.578 |
Images and Observations
2001 QC34's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 17, 2001. It was last officially observed on July 14, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 632 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2001 QC34 can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 7.786 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 132,301 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2001 QC34.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2001 QC34:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.129 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1876
- Inclination: 6.24°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 271.45°
- Argument of Periapsis: 215.49°
- Mean Anomaly: 3.76°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.434 km
- Magnitude: 20.2
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 438 days (1.20 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.04 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.34 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.92 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 612227 (2001 QC34) 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 2001 QC34 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.
