Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 8,703,898 km of Earth in 2032
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2006 SC is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2006 SC 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.
2006 SC orbits the sun every 429 days (1.17 years), coming as close as 0.72 AU and reaching as far as 1.50 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2006 SC is probably between 0.025 to 0.057 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2006 SC's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is very close to Earth's orbit.
2006 SC has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 8, 2032 | 8,703,898 | 10.824 |
| Sept. 15, 2033 | 4,924,030 | 13.092 |
| March 2, 2085 | 10,370,520 | 14.085 |
| Sept. 10, 2086 | 10,771,581 | 10.345 |
| Sept. 21, 2133 | 19,806,094 | 15.844 |
| Sept. 18, 2153 | 9,509,885 | 13.938 |
| Sept. 21, 2173 | 19,706,590 | 15.836 |
| Feb. 27, 2185 | 24,856,406 | 16.888 |
| Sept. 5, 2186 | 24,691,615 | 8.111 |
NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 9 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:
| Date | Probability of Impact (%) | Impact Energy (Mt) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13, 2053 | 0.00009 | 1.252 |
| Sept. 14, 2095 | 0.00002 | 1.242 |
| Sept. 14, 2109 | 0.00002 | 1.241 |
| Sept. 14, 2043 | 0.00001 | 1.243 |
| Sept. 13, 2064 | 0.00000 | 1.243 |
| Sept. 13, 2076 | 0.00000 | 1.242 |
| Sept. 13, 2052 | 0.00000 | 1.24 |
| Sept. 14, 2047 | 0.00000 | 1.241 |
| Sept. 13, 2052 | 0.00000 | 1.24 |
Images and Observations
2006 SC's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 16, 2006. It was last officially observed on Oct. 13, 2006. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 107 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 2006 SC:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.113 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.35
- Inclination: 10.43°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 350.79°
- Argument of Periapsis: 265.21°
- Mean Anomaly: 226.84°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.033 km
- Magnitude: 25.1
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 429 days (1.17 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.22 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.50 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.72 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2006 SC 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 2006 SC 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.
