Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon
- Will pass within 17,148,038 km of Earth in 2054
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
23714 (1998 EC3) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 1998 EC3 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 EC3 orbits the sun every 1,130 days (3.09 years), coming as close as 1.03 AU and reaching as far as 3.23 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 EC3 is probably between 1.129 to 2.524 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
Close Approaches
1998 EC3's orbit is 0.08 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 EC3 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 14, 2054 | 17,148,038 | 10.718 |
| July 17, 2082 | 19,692,023 | 11.556 |
| July 23, 2110 | 28,108,849 | 13.178 |
| May 16, 2163 | 27,226,864 | 9.810 |
| June 19, 2191 | 16,487,928 | 7.624 |
Images and Observations
1998 EC3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 1, 1998. It was last officially observed on Aug. 8, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 921 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 EC3:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.128 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5162
- Inclination: 8.4°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 127.85°
- Argument of Periapsis: 128.96°
- Mean Anomaly: 38.05°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~1.457 km
- Magnitude: 16.86
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,130 days (3.09 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.49 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.23 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.03 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 23714 (1998 EC3) 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 EC3 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.
