Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 7,811,651 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2016 AO131 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2016 AO131 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.
2016 AO131 orbits the sun every 547 days (1.50 years), coming as close as 0.98 AU and reaching as far as 1.64 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2016 AO131 is probably between 0.024 to 0.107 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
The rotation of 2016 AO131 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 0.01 hours.
Close Approaches
2016 AO131's orbit is 0.04 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.
2016 AO131 has 15 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 22, 2021 | 7,811,651 | 3.929 |
| Dec. 13, 2024 | 9,046,404 | 3.802 |
| Nov. 21, 2027 | 11,196,653 | 3.959 |
| Oct. 29, 2030 | 14,573,822 | 5.486 |
| Oct. 18, 2033 | 23,713,934 | 8.118 |
| Jan. 22, 2104 | 29,323,909 | 10.233 |
| Jan. 16, 2107 | 15,832,189 | 7.510 |
| Jan. 9, 2110 | 7,324,065 | 5.576 |
| Jan. 5, 2113 | 5,800,717 | 4.983 |
| Jan. 8, 2116 | 6,731,404 | 5.390 |
| Jan. 15, 2119 | 13,946,702 | 7.139 |
| Jan. 21, 2122 | 26,918,350 | 9.780 |
| Oct. 20, 2192 | 27,792,173 | 9.032 |
| Oct. 30, 2195 | 17,056,983 | 6.262 |
| Nov. 17, 2198 | 11,877,561 | 4.275 |
Images and Observations
2016 AO131's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 26, 2012. It was last officially observed on Feb. 13, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 123 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2016 AO131 can be reached with a journey of 354 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 9.784 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 41,014 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2016 AO131.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2016 AO131:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.31 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2513
- Inclination: 4.5°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 126.31°
- Argument of Periapsis: 306.5°
- Mean Anomaly: 65.23°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.066 km
- Magnitude: 24.31
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 547 days (1.50 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 26.05 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.64 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.98 AU
- Rotation Period: 0.01 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2016 AO131 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 2016 AO131 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.
