Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 7,414,815 km of Earth in 2023
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2007 SQ6 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2007 SQ6 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2007 SQ6 orbits the sun every 389 days (1.07 years), coming as close as 0.89 AU and reaching as far as 1.19 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2007 SQ6 is probably between 0.064 to 0.285 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2007 SQ6's orbit is 0.01 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.
2007 SQ6 has 18 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 15, 2023 | 7,414,815 | 6.454 |
| April 5, 2025 | 4,192,099 | 6.576 |
| Oct. 15, 2039 | 7,693,628 | 5.660 |
| April 10, 2041 | 15,197,325 | 8.260 |
| Sept. 16, 2055 | 25,451,040 | 5.042 |
| Feb. 28, 2056 | 21,514,534 | 4.872 |
| Oct. 16, 2070 | 13,336,321 | 7.568 |
| April 3, 2072 | 1,780,786 | 6.063 |
| Oct. 16, 2086 | 8,224,110 | 6.594 |
| April 5, 2088 | 3,772,536 | 6.494 |
| Sept. 15, 2102 | 26,144,764 | 5.045 |
| Feb. 27, 2103 | 21,302,112 | 4.850 |
| Oct. 16, 2117 | 7,250,031 | 5.905 |
| April 11, 2119 | 12,408,657 | 7.822 |
| Oct. 17, 2132 | 19,634,659 | 8.717 |
| March 31, 2134 | 6,745,608 | 5.385 |
| Oct. 16, 2148 | 7,158,923 | 5.894 |
| Oct. 18, 2179 | 8,509,836 | 6.574 |
Images and Observations
2007 SQ6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 22, 2007. It was last officially observed on July 8, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 78 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2007 SQ6 can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 6.464 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 145,713 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2007 SQ6.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2007 SQ6:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.043 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1456
- Inclination: 9.1°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 191.38°
- Argument of Periapsis: 283.83°
- Mean Anomaly: 254.44°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.175 km
- Magnitude: 22.18
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 389 days (1.07 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.17 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.19 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.89 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2007 SQ6 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 2007 SQ6 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.
