Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building (0.40 km diameter)
- Will pass within 19,295,461 km of Earth in 2027
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
162000 (1990 OS) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1990 OS as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1990 OS orbits the sun every 794 days (2.17 years), coming as close as 0.90 AU and reaching as far as 2.45 AU from the sun. 1990 OS is about 0.4 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.
The rotation of 1990 OS has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.54 hours.
Close Approaches
1990 OS's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
1990 OS has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 29, 2027 | 19,295,461 | 13.727 |
| Sept. 4, 2040 | 12,324,148 | 8.132 |
| Nov. 16, 2053 | 3,049,251 | 10.134 |
| Oct. 18, 2077 | 12,891,049 | 8.116 |
| Aug. 24, 2101 | 7,363,761 | 8.536 |
| Dec. 3, 2114 | 29,814,315 | 15.887 |
| Aug. 17, 2125 | 3,175,242 | 9.282 |
| Nov. 23, 2149 | 9,420,366 | 11.623 |
| Sept. 24, 2160 | 14,610,684 | 8.199 |
| Aug. 4, 2171 | 13,319,669 | 12.533 |
| Nov. 21, 2195 | 5,148,074 | 10.709 |
Images and Observations
1990 OS's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 21, 1990. It was last officially observed on March 27, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 423 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 1990 OS:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.678 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4627
- Inclination: 1.09°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 346.52°
- Argument of Periapsis: 21.58°
- Mean Anomaly: 58.37°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.40000 km
- Magnitude: 19.64
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 794 days (2.17 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.99 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.45 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.90 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.54 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 162000 (1990 OS) 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 below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 1990 OS to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
