100480 (1996 UK)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Mars-crossing Asteroid
• Comparable in size to Mount Everest
• Not a Near Earth Object
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

100480 (1996 UK) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 1996 UK as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1996 UK orbits the sun every 1,610 days (4.41 years), coming as close as 1.45 AU and reaching as far as 3.93 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1996 UK is probably between 1.509 to 3.373 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to Mount Everest.

1996 UK's spectral type None (Tholen) / Sq (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .

No Close Approaches

1996 UK's orbit is 0.47 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.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

1996 UK's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 16, 1996. It was last officially observed on July 29, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 789 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 UK:

• 34 Circe (A855 GA)
• 58 Concordia (A860 FA)
• 64 Angelina (A861 EA)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 100480 (1996 UK) 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 UK 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.