Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the island of Manhattan (3.01 km diameter)
- Will pass within 15,377,318 km of Earth in 2047
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
111253 (2001 XU10) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2001 XU10 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2001 XU10 orbits the sun every 848 days (2.32 years), coming as close as 0.98 AU and reaching as far as 2.52 AU from the sun. 2001 XU10 is about 3.0 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.
Close Approaches
2001 XU10's orbit is 0.03 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 XU10 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 8, 2047 | 15,377,318 | 24.265 |
| July 29, 2054 | 11,935,067 | 24.435 |
| Aug. 11, 2119 | 21,524,899 | 24.364 |
| Aug. 1, 2126 | 8,119,082 | 24.363 |
| Aug. 14, 2184 | 28,916,468 | 24.544 |
| Aug. 3, 2191 | 4,951,204 | 24.262 |
Images and Observations
2001 XU10's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 8, 2000. It was last officially observed on May 13, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,550 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 XU10:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.754 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4394
- Inclination: 42.02°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 310.16°
- Argument of Periapsis: 6.96°
- Mean Anomaly: 252.48°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 3.00600 km
- Magnitude: 15.28
- Albedo: 0.178
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 848 days (2.32 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.50 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.52 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.98 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 111253 (2001 XU10) 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 XU10 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.
