Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 13,895,483 km of Earth in 2023
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
620100 (2016 WJ1) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2016 WJ1 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2016 WJ1 orbits the sun every 566 days (1.55 years), coming as close as 0.67 AU and reaching as far as 2.01 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2016 WJ1 is probably between 0.143 to 0.319 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2016 WJ1 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.68 hours.
Close Approaches
2016 WJ1's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is very close to Earth's orbit.
2016 WJ1 has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 18, 2023 | 13,895,483 | 17.585 |
| May 26, 2037 | 26,828,078 | 9.902 |
| Jan. 3, 2048 | 28,623,826 | 9.716 |
| Dec. 14, 2061 | 611,194 | 14.792 |
| June 19, 2079 | 18,550,467 | 18.458 |
| June 2, 2090 | 19,043,825 | 11.171 |
| Dec. 14, 2097 | 494,749 | 14.805 |
Images and Observations
2016 WJ1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 4, 2003. It was last officially observed on June 27, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 453 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 2016 WJ1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.34 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5033
- Inclination: 2.89°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 82.0°
- Argument of Periapsis: 87.78°
- Mean Anomaly: 90.94°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.184 km
- Magnitude: 21.35
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 566 days (1.55 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.76 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.01 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.67 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.68 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 620100 (2016 WJ1) 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 2016 WJ1 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.
