Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (1.12 km diameter)
- Will pass within 27,736,101 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
99248 (2001 KY66) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2001 KY66 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2001 KY66 orbits the sun every 932 days (2.55 years), coming as close as 0.92 AU and reaching as far as 2.81 AU from the sun. 2001 KY66 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 2001 KY66 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 19.70 hours.
Close Approaches
2001 KY66'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.
2001 KY66 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13, 2019 | 27,736,101 | 9.169 |
| July 16, 2042 | 8,238,093 | 12.662 |
| Aug. 22, 2070 | 24,141,682 | 9.184 |
| July 6, 2093 | 26,726,379 | 16.610 |
| Oct. 28, 2098 | 26,700,302 | 11.458 |
| July 27, 2121 | 11,956,340 | 10.492 |
| Oct. 29, 2149 | 26,329,458 | 11.297 |
| Aug. 13, 2172 | 21,413,259 | 9.185 |
| July 14, 2195 | 15,139,024 | 14.240 |
Images and Observations
2001 KY66's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 8, 1991. It was last officially observed on March 21, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,067 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 2001 KY66:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.867 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5075
- Inclination: 10.61°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 284.12°
- Argument of Periapsis: 61.56°
- Mean Anomaly: 205.2°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 1.11500 km
- Magnitude: 16.56
- Albedo: 0.429
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 932 days (2.55 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 21.79 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.81 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.92 AU
- Rotation Period: 19.70 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 99248 (2001 KY66) 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 2001 KY66 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.
