138925 (2001 AU43)

Mid-sized Amor-class Asteroid

Near-Earth
Space Reference » Amor-class Asteroids » 138925 (2001 AU43)

Key Facts

Overview

138925 (2001 AU43) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2001 AU43 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.

2001 AU43 orbits the sun every 954 days (2.61 years), coming as close as 1.18 AU and reaching as far as 2.61 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 AU43 is probably between 1.708 to 3.820 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to Mount Everest.

The rotation of 2001 AU43 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 5.26 hours.

No Close Approaches

2001 AU43's orbit is 0.21 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

2001 AU43's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 20, 1992. It was last officially observed on Sept. 28, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,040 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 AU43:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 1.897 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.3764
  • Inclination: 72.15°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 129.3°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 149.31°
  • Mean Anomaly: 135.11°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~2.205 km
  • Magnitude: 15.96

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 954 days (2.61 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 21.63 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.61 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.18 AU
  • Rotation Period: 5.26 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 138925 (2001 AU43) 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 AU43 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.