30856 (1991 XE)

Mid-sized Mars-crossing Asteroid

Space Reference » Mars-crossing Asteroids » 30856 (1991 XE)

Key Facts

Overview

30856 (1991 XE) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 1991 XE as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1991 XE orbits the sun every 902 days (2.47 years), coming as close as 1.63 AU and reaching as far as 2.02 AU from the sun. 1991 XE is about 3.4 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

The rotation of 1991 XE has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 5.35 hours.

No Close Approaches

1991 XE's orbit is 0.75 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a very wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

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

Images and Observations

1991 XE's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 23, 1988. It was last officially observed on July 5, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,154 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 1991 XE:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 1.827 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1083
  • Inclination: 26.65°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 79.19°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 269.96°
  • Mean Anomaly: 32.26°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 3.38600 km
  • Magnitude: 14.25
  • Albedo: 0.410

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 902 days (2.47 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.04 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.02 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.63 AU
  • Rotation Period: 5.35 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 30856 (1991 XE) 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 1991 XE 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.