Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (1.13 km diameter)
- Will pass within 27,267,353 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Kwiila is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Kwiila 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.
Kwiila orbits the sun every 669 days (1.83 years), coming as close as 0.61 AU and reaching as far as 2.39 AU from the sun. Kwiila is about 1.1 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of Kwiila has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 15.13 hours.
Close Approaches
Kwiila's orbit is 0.08 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.
Kwiila has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 7, 2020 | 27,267,353 | 22.546 |
| Feb. 23, 2061 | 18,520,987 | 20.952 |
| Feb. 20, 2072 | 11,990,479 | 18.539 |
| Feb. 16, 2083 | 14,957,831 | 16.312 |
| Feb. 10, 2094 | 25,397,427 | 13.667 |
| Sept. 3, 2106 | 29,417,535 | 13.585 |
| Aug. 25, 2117 | 20,275,048 | 15.379 |
| Aug. 19, 2128 | 14,190,830 | 17.526 |
| Aug. 16, 2139 | 15,364,229 | 19.414 |
| Aug. 11, 2150 | 23,471,078 | 21.766 |
| Feb. 28, 2191 | 24,345,585 | 22.442 |
Images and Observations
Kwiila's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 18, 1987. It was last officially observed on June 8, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 772 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 Kwiila:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.497 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5956
- Inclination: 9.01°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 180.01°
- Argument of Periapsis: 235.81°
- Mean Anomaly: 221.98°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 1.12700 km
- Magnitude: 18.02
- Albedo: 0.088
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 669 days (1.83 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.34 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.39 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.61 AU
- Rotation Period: 15.13 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Kwiila 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 Kwiila 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.
