Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon
- Will pass within 26,860,339 km of Earth in 2023
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
187026 (2005 EK70) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2005 EK70 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.
2005 EK70 orbits the sun every 343 days (0.94 years), coming as close as 0.83 AU and reaching as far as 1.09 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2005 EK70 is probably between 0.880 to 1.968 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
Close Approaches
2005 EK70's orbit is 0.09 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.
2005 EK70 has 18 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 27, 2023 | 26,860,339 | 17.455 |
| Feb. 20, 2024 | 14,492,590 | 15.110 |
| Aug. 16, 2039 | 29,404,635 | 17.410 |
| Feb. 21, 2040 | 19,895,115 | 15.576 |
| Feb. 18, 2055 | 22,453,534 | 15.189 |
| Aug. 27, 2070 | 26,888,258 | 17.456 |
| Feb. 20, 2071 | 14,510,864 | 15.114 |
| Aug. 16, 2086 | 29,550,255 | 17.415 |
| Feb. 21, 2087 | 20,172,147 | 15.596 |
| Feb. 19, 2102 | 21,798,696 | 15.180 |
| Aug. 27, 2117 | 26,833,092 | 17.447 |
| Feb. 21, 2118 | 14,479,467 | 15.135 |
| Feb. 22, 2134 | 21,317,212 | 15.684 |
| Feb. 19, 2149 | 20,581,952 | 15.139 |
| Aug. 26, 2164 | 26,771,673 | 17.430 |
| Feb. 21, 2165 | 14,560,582 | 15.161 |
| Feb. 22, 2181 | 23,191,364 | 15.808 |
| Feb. 20, 2196 | 18,808,847 | 15.108 |
Images and Observations
2005 EK70's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 8, 2005. It was last officially observed on April 15, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 630 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 2005 EK70:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9597 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1354
- Inclination: 30.0°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 329.79°
- Argument of Periapsis: 347.09°
- Mean Anomaly: 29.39°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~1.136 km
- Magnitude: 17.4
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 343 days (0.94 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 30.44 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.09 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.83 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 187026 (2005 EK70) 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 2005 EK70 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.
