Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.51 km diameter)
- Will pass within 6,449,321 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2011 AM24 is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2011 AM24 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2011 AM24 orbits the sun every 467 days (1.28 years), coming as close as 1.00 AU and reaching as far as 1.36 AU from the sun. 2011 AM24 is about 0.5 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Close Approaches
2011 AM24's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2011 AM24 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 26, 2024 | 6,449,321 | 6.204 |
| Sept. 13, 2038 | 27,265,526 | 6.738 |
| July 15, 2047 | 27,116,486 | 9.259 |
| Aug. 11, 2061 | 9,859,195 | 5.202 |
| Aug. 22, 2084 | 17,398,649 | 5.522 |
| July 17, 2093 | 22,171,502 | 8.465 |
| July 28, 2116 | 5,464,021 | 6.102 |
| Aug. 25, 2130 | 18,360,880 | 5.568 |
| July 27, 2153 | 6,816,191 | 6.253 |
| July 30, 2167 | 3,626,328 | 5.896 |
| Aug. 11, 2186 | 9,472,718 | 5.158 |
Images and Observations
2011 AM24's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 5, 2010. It was last officially observed on April 20, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 395 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2011 AM24 can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 8.702 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 12,633 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2011 AM24.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2011 AM24:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.179 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.15
- Inclination: 9.13°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 127.2°
- Argument of Periapsis: 214.88°
- Mean Anomaly: 88.6°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.51100 km
- Magnitude: 20.51
- Albedo: 0.043
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 467 days (1.28 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.47 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.36 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.00 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2011 AM24 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 2011 AM24 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.
