Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 23,833,454 km of Earth in 2025
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2009 HG is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2009 HG 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.
2009 HG orbits the sun every 583 days (1.60 years), coming as close as 1.06 AU and reaching as far as 1.67 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2009 HG is probably between 0.026 to 0.118 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2009 HG's orbit is 0.05 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.
2009 HG has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 23, 2025 | 23,833,454 | 6.258 |
| May 25, 2076 | 14,240,524 | 4.400 |
| May 15, 2084 | 8,022,252 | 3.233 |
| May 12, 2092 | 7,713,802 | 3.165 |
| May 9, 2100 | 8,626,329 | 3.334 |
| April 27, 2108 | 20,199,015 | 5.589 |
| May 31, 2159 | 17,841,796 | 5.112 |
| May 19, 2167 | 8,401,662 | 3.264 |
| May 15, 2175 | 7,725,167 | 3.161 |
| May 12, 2183 | 8,223,097 | 3.281 |
| May 2, 2191 | 16,591,845 | 4.887 |
Images and Observations
2009 HG's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 17, 2009. It was last officially observed on March 30, 2017. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 98 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2009 HG can be reached with a journey of 434 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.083 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 1,152 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2009 HG.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2009 HG:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.366 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2231
- Inclination: 3.64°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 230.97°
- Argument of Periapsis: 356.66°
- Mean Anomaly: 352.88°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.072 km
- Magnitude: 24.1
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 583 days (1.60 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.49 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.67 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.06 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2009 HG 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 2009 HG 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.
