18492 (1996 GS2)

Mid-sized Main-belt Asteroid

Space Reference » Main-belt Asteroids » 18492 (1996 GS2)

Key Facts

Overview

18492 (1996 GS2) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1996 GS2 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1996 GS2 orbits the sun every 1,230 days (3.37 years), coming as close as 1.91 AU and reaching as far as 2.58 AU from the sun. 1996 GS2 is about 2.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to Mount Everest.

The rotation of 1996 GS2 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.66 hours.

No Close Approaches

1996 GS2's orbit is 0.92 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

1996 GS2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 4, 1954. It was last officially observed on June 23, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,934 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 1996 GS2:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.245 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1475
  • Inclination: 7.39°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 159.71°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 94.84°
  • Mean Anomaly: 335.56°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 2.59000 km
  • Magnitude: 14.7
  • Albedo: 0.458

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,230 days (3.37 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.86 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.58 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.91 AU
  • Rotation Period: 2.66 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 18492 (1996 GS2) 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 1996 GS2 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.