Isogai

8251 Isogai (1980 VA)

Space Reference » Mars-crossing Asteroids » Isogai

Key Facts

Overview

Isogai is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified Isogai as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Isogai orbits the sun every 1,240 days (3.39 years), coming as close as 1.66 AU and reaching as far as 2.85 AU from the sun. Isogai is about 4.3 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

No Close Approaches

Isogai's orbit is 0.67 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a very 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

Isogai's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 13, 1980. It was last officially observed on June 19, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,715 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 Isogai:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.254 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2638
  • Inclination: 3.21°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 169.16°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 233.25°
  • Mean Anomaly: 240.34°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 4.33900 km
  • Magnitude: 15.48
  • Albedo: 0.079

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,240 days (3.39 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.78 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.85 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.66 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of Isogai 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 Isogai 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.