Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 19,455,075 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2016 JG12 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2016 JG12 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 JG12 orbits the sun every 544 days (1.49 years), coming as close as 0.87 AU and reaching as far as 1.74 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2016 JG12 is probably between 0.054 to 0.242 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
The rotation of 2016 JG12 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 6.44 hours.
Close Approaches
2016 JG12's orbit is 0.02 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 JG12 has 17 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 7, 2019 | 19,455,075 | 6.929 |
| Nov. 20, 2021 | 5,522,714 | 7.477 |
| Nov. 3, 2024 | 17,045,599 | 11.540 |
| March 24, 2068 | 26,678,120 | 12.614 |
| March 12, 2071 | 13,507,257 | 7.984 |
| Jan. 28, 2074 | 19,756,653 | 6.638 |
| Dec. 13, 2076 | 15,254,344 | 6.698 |
| Nov. 13, 2079 | 3,399,211 | 8.778 |
| March 24, 2117 | 22,976,802 | 11.723 |
| Feb. 28, 2120 | 16,400,786 | 6.241 |
| Dec. 25, 2122 | 17,586,531 | 6.802 |
| Nov. 12, 2125 | 5,120,650 | 9.184 |
| March 27, 2157 | 29,049,470 | 13.165 |
| March 3, 2160 | 15,647,997 | 6.405 |
| Dec. 18, 2162 | 16,073,934 | 6.709 |
| Nov. 7, 2165 | 13,544,477 | 10.861 |
| March 20, 2197 | 15,726,437 | 9.657 |
Images and Observations
2016 JG12's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 3, 2016. It was last officially observed on May 21, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 233 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2016 JG12 can be reached with a journey of 346 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.837 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 335 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2016 JG12.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2016 JG12:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.303 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3322
- Inclination: 5.49°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 241.9°
- Argument of Periapsis: 227.44°
- Mean Anomaly: 51.22°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.148 km
- Magnitude: 22.54
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 544 days (1.49 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 26.06 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.74 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.87 AU
- Rotation Period: 6.44 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2016 JG12 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 JG12 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.
