Key Facts

Overview

6222 (1980 PB3) is a large asteroid that orbits between Mars and Jupiter in the outer reaches of the main asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1980 PB3 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1980 PB3 orbits the sun every 2,130 days (5.83 years), coming as close as 2.84 AU and reaching as far as 3.65 AU from the sun. 1980 PB3 is about 27.5 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the city of Indianapolis.

No Close Approaches

1980 PB3's orbit is 1.87 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an extremely wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

1980 PB3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 19, 1980. It was last officially observed on Feb. 10, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,329 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 1980 PB3:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.243 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1257
  • Inclination: 21.35°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 53.8°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 134.23°
  • Mean Anomaly: 241.42°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 27.45100 km
  • Magnitude: 11.78
  • Albedo: 0.065

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,130 days (5.83 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.56 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.65 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.84 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 6222 (1980 PB3) 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.