16371 (1981 DQ3) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1981 DQ3 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.
1981 DQ3 orbits the sun every 1,610 days (4.41 years), coming as close as 2.29 AU and reaching as far as 3.09 AU from the sun. 1981 DQ3 is about 8.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.
The rotation of 1981 DQ3 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 3.70 hours.
1981 DQ3's orbit is 1.31 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.
1981 DQ3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 12, 1981. It was last officially observed on Jan. 19, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,117 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 16371 (1981 DQ3) 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.