Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.73 km diameter)
- Will pass within 20,536,179 km of Earth in 2081
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
162181 (1999 LF6) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1999 LF6 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.
1999 LF6 orbits the sun every 611 days (1.67 years), coming as close as 1.01 AU and reaching as far as 1.80 AU from the sun. 1999 LF6 is about 0.7 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 1999 LF6 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 37.26 hours.
Close Approaches
1999 LF6's orbit is 0.06 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.
1999 LF6 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 12, 2081 | 20,536,179 | 10.454 |
| Oct. 17, 2086 | 10,094,284 | 11.157 |
| Oct. 21, 2091 | 13,819,967 | 12.340 |
| Oct. 24, 2096 | 28,060,720 | 14.264 |
| Oct. 12, 2168 | 23,581,781 | 10.415 |
| Oct. 16, 2173 | 11,794,074 | 10.919 |
| Oct. 20, 2178 | 10,491,488 | 11.826 |
| Oct. 25, 2183 | 21,839,724 | 13.415 |
Images and Observations
1999 LF6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 20, 1979. It was last officially observed on May 24, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,670 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 1999 LF6:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.409 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2806
- Inclination: 18.94°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 208.5°
- Argument of Periapsis: 140.88°
- Mean Anomaly: 126.09°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.72900 km
- Magnitude: 18.23
- Albedo: 0.175
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 611 days (1.67 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.09 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.80 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.01 AU
- Rotation Period: 37.26 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 162181 (1999 LF6) 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 1999 LF6 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.
