Key Facts

Overview

9118 (1997 GD20) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1997 GD20 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1997 GD20 orbits the sun every 1,930 days (5.28 years), coming as close as 2.21 AU and reaching as far as 3.86 AU from the sun. 1997 GD20 is about 7.8 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

1997 GD20's orbit is 1.20 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

1997 GD20's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 8, 1967. It was last officially observed on May 15, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,927 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 1997 GD20:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.034 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2722
  • Inclination: 1.0°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 96.66°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 263.8°
  • Mean Anomaly: 215.38°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 7.79400 km
  • Magnitude: 13.36
  • Albedo: 0.153

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,930 days (5.28 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 17.10 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.86 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.21 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 9118 (1997 GD20) 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.