Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to Mount Everest (2.06 km diameter)
- Will pass within 27,828,372 km of Earth in 2032
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Zephyr is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Zephyr as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
Zephyr orbits the sun every 1,000 days (2.74 years), coming as close as 1.00 AU and reaching as far as 2.93 AU from the sun. Zephyr is about 2.1 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to Mount Everest.
The rotation of Zephyr has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 3.89 hours.
Close Approaches
Zephyr's orbit is 0.02 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.
Zephyr has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 22, 2032 | 27,828,372 | 13.791 |
| June 24, 2178 | 29,310,852 | 12.984 |
Images and Observations
Zephyr's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 21, 1955. It was last officially observed on April 7, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,532 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 Zephyr:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.963 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4918
- Inclination: 5.3°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 168.18°
- Argument of Periapsis: 147.11°
- Mean Anomaly: 268.2°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 2.06000 km
- Magnitude: 15.82
- Albedo: 0.199
- Spectral type (SMASS): S:
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,000 days (2.74 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 21.36 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.93 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.00 AU
- Rotation Period: 3.89 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Zephyr 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 Zephyr 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.
