Key Facts

Overview

Aconcagua is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified Aconcagua as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Aconcagua orbits the sun every 1,340 days (3.67 years), coming as close as 1.90 AU and reaching as far as 2.86 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, Aconcagua is probably between 5.842 to 13.063 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

Aconcagua's orbit is 0.89 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a very 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.

Images and Observations

Aconcagua's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 29, 1906. It was last officially observed on July 5, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,724 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 Aconcagua:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.379 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2004
  • Inclination: 2.1°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 297.38°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 349.71°
  • Mean Anomaly: 343.57°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~7.542 km
  • Magnitude: 13.29

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,340 days (3.67 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.31 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.86 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.90 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Aconcagua 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.