154229 (2002 JN97)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to Mount Everest
• Will pass within 25,983,944 km of Earth in 2050
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

154229 (2002 JN97) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2002 JN97 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.

2002 JN97 orbits the sun every 920 days (2.52 years), coming as close as 0.52 AU and reaching as far as 3.18 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2002 JN97 is probably between 1.255 to 2.806 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to Mount Everest.

The rotation of 2002 JN97 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 4.48 hours.

Close Approaches

2002 JN97's orbit is 0.16 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.

2002 JN97 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

2002 JN97's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 3, 2000. It was last officially observed on June 16, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 511 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 2002 JN97:

• 1355 Magoeba (1935 HE)
• 1600 Vyssotsky (1947 UC)
• 1727 Mette (1965 BA)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 154229 (2002 JN97) 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 2002 JN97 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.