20255 (1998 FX2)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
• Will pass within 16,834,918 km of Earth in 2099
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

20255 (1998 FX2) is a small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 1998 FX2 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.

1998 FX2 orbits the sun every 1,150 days (3.15 years), coming as close as 1.09 AU and reaching as far as 3.21 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 FX2 is probably between 0.543 to 1.214 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.

The rotation of 1998 FX2 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 6.80 hours.

1998 FX2's spectral type None (Tholen) / Sq (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .

Close Approaches

1998 FX2's orbit is 0.10 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.

1998 FX2 has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

1998 FX2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 20, 1998. It was last officially observed on Dec. 23, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 676 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 1998 FX2:

• 1917 Cuyo (1968 AA)
• 1988 Delores (1952 SV)
• 2552 Remek (1978 SP)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 20255 (1998 FX2) 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 1998 FX2 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.