Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building (0.34 km diameter)
- Will pass within 4,496,383 km of Earth in 2047
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
162567 (2000 RW37) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2000 RW37 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2000 RW37 orbits the sun every 509 days (1.39 years), coming as close as 0.94 AU and reaching as far as 1.56 AU from the sun. 2000 RW37 is about 0.3 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 2000 RW37 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.44 hours.
2000 RW37's spectral type None (Tholen) / C (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain water, iron, nickel, cobalt, nitrogen, and ammonia.
Close Approaches
2000 RW37'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.
2000 RW37 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 23, 2047 | 4,496,383 | 9.519 |
| Feb. 16, 2054 | 8,522,121 | 8.313 |
| Jan. 25, 2061 | 27,421,628 | 8.078 |
| March 5, 2100 | 24,169,722 | 12.270 |
| Feb. 24, 2107 | 3,365,159 | 9.390 |
| Feb. 25, 2114 | 5,115,644 | 9.593 |
| March 5, 2121 | 22,680,247 | 12.048 |
| Jan. 22, 2166 | 29,314,382 | 8.228 |
| Feb. 12, 2173 | 13,964,565 | 8.043 |
| Feb. 22, 2180 | 2,078,116 | 8.859 |
| Feb. 8, 2187 | 19,280,118 | 7.961 |
Images and Observations
2000 RW37's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 3, 2000. It was last officially observed on May 16, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 248 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 2000 RW37:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.247 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.25
- Inclination: 13.75°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 333.29°
- Argument of Periapsis: 133.29°
- Mean Anomaly: 89.21°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.33500 km
- Magnitude: 19.97
- Albedo: 0.173
- Spectral type (SMASS): C
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 509 days (1.39 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 26.65 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.56 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.94 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.44 hours
- Approx. Composition: water, iron, nickel, cobalt, nitrogen, and ammonia.
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 162567 (2000 RW37) 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 2000 RW37 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.
