138877 (2000 XG47)

Mid-sized Apollo-class Asteroid

Near-Earth
Space Reference » Apollo-class Asteroids » 138877 (2000 XG47)

Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
  • Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon
  • Will pass within 21,799,456 km of Earth in 2048
  • Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
  • Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

138877 (2000 XG47) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2000 XG47 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.

2000 XG47 orbits the sun every 1,140 days (3.12 years), coming as close as 0.98 AU and reaching as far as 3.30 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2000 XG47 is probably between 1.171 to 2.618 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.

The rotation of 2000 XG47 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 8.71 hours.

Close Approaches

2000 XG47's orbit is 0.10 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.

2000 XG47 has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Date Distance from Earth (km) Velocity (km/s)
April 22, 2048 21,799,456 15.374
April 29, 2120 17,273,277 17.398
April 21, 2167 26,024,018 15.091

Images and Observations

2000 XG47's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 6, 2000. It was last officially observed on July 10, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 619 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 2000 XG47:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.14 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.5429
  • Inclination: 25.32°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 43.8°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 127.67°
  • Mean Anomaly: 62.46°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~1.512 km
  • Magnitude: 16.78

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,140 days (3.12 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.42 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.30 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.98 AU
  • Rotation Period: 8.71 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 138877 (2000 XG47) 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 2000 XG47 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.