Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 19,529,668 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2008 DB is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2008 DB 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.
2008 DB orbits the sun every 395 days (1.08 years), coming as close as 0.81 AU and reaching as far as 1.30 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 DB is probably between 0.012 to 0.054 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2008 DB'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.
2008 DB has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13, 2019 | 19,529,668 | 4.446 |
| Feb. 10, 2021 | 5,025,462 | 6.039 |
| Aug. 14, 2032 | 127,437 | 7.395 |
| Oct. 25, 2033 | 29,384,757 | 6.671 |
| Dec. 25, 2034 | 27,526,374 | 6.384 |
| Feb. 27, 2036 | 6,795,855 | 8.266 |
| Aug. 9, 2054 | 22,083,936 | 11.257 |
| Feb. 21, 2058 | 9,302,555 | 5.194 |
| Aug. 16, 2077 | 3,479,698 | 6.332 |
Images and Observations
2008 DB's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 18, 2008. It was last officially observed on March 10, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 74 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2008 DB can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 7.329 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 228,112 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2008 DB.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2008 DB:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.054 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2329
- Inclination: 4.22°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 141.44°
- Argument of Periapsis: 274.63°
- Mean Anomaly: 202.21°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.033 km
- Magnitude: 25.8
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 395 days (1.08 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.03 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.30 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.81 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2008 DB 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 2008 DB 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.
