Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 15,660,134 km of Earth in 2043
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
67399 (2000 PJ6) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2000 PJ6 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
2000 PJ6 orbits the sun every 542 days (1.48 years), coming as close as 0.85 AU and reaching as far as 1.75 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2000 PJ6 is probably between 0.555 to 1.242 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.
Close Approaches
2000 PJ6's orbit is 0.05 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.
2000 PJ6 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 26, 2043 | 15,660,134 | 10.553 |
| Feb. 7, 2046 | 13,861,457 | 13.568 |
| Feb. 21, 2092 | 11,162,880 | 10.970 |
| Feb. 4, 2095 | 18,668,143 | 14.468 |
| Feb. 22, 2141 | 11,759,825 | 10.899 |
| Feb. 6, 2144 | 17,570,781 | 14.285 |
| Feb. 28, 2190 | 16,301,024 | 10.465 |
| Feb. 9, 2193 | 12,397,770 | 13.362 |
Images and Observations
2000 PJ6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 9, 1951. It was last officially observed on Jan. 16, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 326 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 2000 PJ6:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.301 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3463
- Inclination: 14.69°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 332.86°
- Argument of Periapsis: 225.33°
- Mean Anomaly: 300.67°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.717 km
- Magnitude: 18.4
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 542 days (1.48 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 26.11 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.75 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.85 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 67399 (2000 PJ6) 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2000 PJ6 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
