100438 (1996 PC3)

Mid-sized Mars-crossing Asteroid

Space Reference » Mars-crossing Asteroids » 100438 (1996 PC3)

Key Facts

Overview

100438 (1996 PC3) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 1996 PC3 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1996 PC3 orbits the sun every 1,530 days (4.19 years), coming as close as 1.66 AU and reaching as far as 3.54 AU from the sun. 1996 PC3 is about 5.7 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

1996 PC3's orbit is 0.86 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

1996 PC3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 20, 1985. It was last officially observed on April 16, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 881 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 1996 PC3:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.596 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.3619
  • Inclination: 25.95°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 329.37°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 98.52°
  • Mean Anomaly: 119.06°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 5.72600 km
  • Magnitude: 15.35
  • Albedo: 0.048

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,530 days (4.19 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.46 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.54 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.66 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 100438 (1996 PC3) 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 1996 PC3 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.