2015 BJ559

Small Outer Main-belt Asteroid

Space Reference » Outer Main-belt Asteroids » 2015 BJ559

Key Facts

Overview

2015 BJ559 is a small asteroid that orbits between Mars and Jupiter in the outer reaches of the main asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 2015 BJ559 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

2015 BJ559 orbits the sun every 3,410 days (9.34 years), coming as close as 1.64 AU and reaching as far as 7.23 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2015 BJ559 is probably between 0.495 to 1.107 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.

No Close Approaches

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

2015 BJ559's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 18, 2015. It was last officially observed on Jan. 21, 2015. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 11 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 2015 BJ559:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2459400.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 4.437 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.6306
  • Inclination: 8.41°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 254.6°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 156.73°
  • Mean Anomaly: 265.08°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~0.639 km
  • Magnitude: 18.65

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 3,410 days (9.34 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 14.16 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 7.23 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.64 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 2015 BJ559 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2015 BJ559 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.