Key Facts

Overview

14494 (1994 YJ2) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1994 YJ2 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1994 YJ2 orbits the sun every 1,520 days (4.16 years), coming as close as 2.29 AU and reaching as far as 2.88 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1994 YJ2 is probably between 5.951 to 13.306 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

1994 YJ2's orbit is 1.33 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an extremely 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

1994 YJ2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 14, 1991. It was last officially observed on Feb. 17, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,928 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 1994 YJ2:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.585 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1156
  • Inclination: 14.04°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 94.62°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 105.68°
  • Mean Anomaly: 248.46°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~7.682 km
  • Magnitude: 13.25

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,520 days (4.16 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.50 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.88 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.29 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 14494 (1994 YJ2) 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.