Space Reference

Compiled data & simulations for 1,302,506 celestial objects

Welcome to SpaceReference.org. The purpose of this site is to catalog and showcase every known object in space. We've started with asteroids and comets but this open-source project is being quickly expanded.

SpaceDB compiles data from the NASA/JPL Small Body Database, the IAU Minor Planet Center, and the NASA/JPL Center for Near Earth Object Studies.

If you'd like to create a customized solar system model, take a look at the full-screen interactive solar system view.

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Asteroids and Comets

We've organized hundreds of thousands celestial objects into these categories below for your perusal.

Mouseover objects in the lists below to highlight them in the orbit view. Click or tap to learn more about each object.

Largest

These are among the largest and earliest discovered asteroids in our solar system.

Ceres
Dwarf Planet
Ceres orbits the sun every 4.60 years and is about 939.400 km in diameter, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Alaska.
Varuna
Dwarf Planet
Varuna orbits the sun every 282.00 years and is about 900.000 km in diameter, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Alaska.
Vesta
Dwarf Planet
Vesta orbits the sun every 3.64 years and is about 525.400 km in diameter, comparable in size to Great Britain.
Pallas
Dwarf Planet
Pallas orbits the sun every 4.60 years and is about 513.000 km in diameter, comparable in size to Great Britain.
Hygiea
Dwarf Planet
Hygiea orbits the sun every 5.56 years and is about 407.120 km in diameter, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Iowa.

Upcoming Approaches

These objects have upcoming fly-bys of Earth.

2019 VW
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2019 VW orbits the sun every 0.83 years and is about 0.021 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass by Earth on Dec. 21, 2024.
2020 XE1
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2020 XE1 orbits the sun every 2.02 years and is about 0.016 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass by Earth on Dec. 21, 2024.
2023 JD3
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2023 JD3 orbits the sun every 1.10 years and is about 0.113 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass by Earth on Dec. 22, 2024.
2021 GL16
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2021 GL16 orbits the sun every 0.99 years and is about 0.027 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass by Earth on Dec. 22, 2024.
2022 YG
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2022 YG orbits the sun every 1.00 years and is about 0.023 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass by Earth on Dec. 22, 2024.

Potential Impactors

These objects have the potential to impact Earth (listed by probability of impact).

2010 RF12
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2010 RF12 orbits the sun every 1.09 years and is about 0.010 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 10.240% in 2095.
2017 WT28
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2017 WT28 orbits the sun every 0.85 years and is about 0.012 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 1.098% in 2104.
2020 CD3
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2020 CD3 orbits the sun every 1.04 years and is about 0.002 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.851% in 2082.
2006 RH120
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2006 RH120 orbits the sun every 1.05 years and is about 0.006 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.505% in 2044.
2006 JY26
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2006 JY26 orbits the sun every 1.02 years and is about 0.007 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.484% in 2074.

Potential for Exploration

It is relatively inexpensive to send a spacecraft to these objects in terms of propulsive cost (listed by delta-v).

2021 GM1
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2021 GM1 orbits the sun every 0.97 years and is about 0.004 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.002% in 2122.
2023 FY3
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2023 FY3 orbits the sun every 1.11 years and is about 0.007 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.000% in 2114.
2022 RD2
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2022 RD2 orbits the sun every 1.05 years and is about 0.009 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.014% in 2087.
2022 OB5
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2022 OB5 orbits the sun every 1.01 years and is about 0.008 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.005% in 2109.
2000 SG344
Very Small Near-Earth Close Approach
2000 SG344 orbits the sun every 0.97 years and is about 0.055 km in diameter, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller. It will pass near Earth with an impact probability of 0.104% in 2071.

In Honor Of...

These objects are named after notable people.

Einstein
Mid-Sized
Einstein orbits the sun every 2.69 years and is about 3.975 km in diameter, comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.
Hawking
Mid-Sized
Hawking orbits the sun every 3.37 years and is about 2.013 km in diameter, comparable in size to Mount Everest.
Sagan
Mid-Sized
Sagan orbits the sun every 3.26 years and is about 6.559 km in diameter, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.
Armstrong
Mid-Sized
Armstrong orbits the sun every 3.31 years and is about 3.720 km in diameter, comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.
Collins
Mid-Sized
Collins orbits the sun every 3.81 years and is about 8.976 km in diameter, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

Object Classifications

The two most noteworthy classifications for asteroids are "Near Earth Asteroid" (NEA) and "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" (PHA). Despite the names, neither classification indicates any direct danger to Earth. Learn more about various NEO groups here.

Categories

  • Asteroids with known shapes - these asteroids have been mapped by light curve inversion, radar, or flybys. Click through to see 3D models.

The categories below are orbital classifications as defined by NASA PDS: