Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.93 km diameter)
- Will pass within 11,689,459 km of Earth in 2025
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
35107 (1991 VH) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1991 VH as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1991 VH orbits the sun every 443 days (1.21 years), coming as close as 0.97 AU and reaching as far as 1.30 AU from the sun. 1991 VH is about 0.9 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 1991 VH has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.62 hours.
1991 VH's spectral type None (Tholen) / Sk (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
1991 VH's orbit is 0.03 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.
1991 VH has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 2, 2025 | 11,689,459 | 8.670 |
| Aug. 22, 2048 | 13,414,842 | 7.905 |
| Aug. 6, 2065 | 6,656,974 | 8.245 |
| Aug. 15, 2088 | 6,782,209 | 7.830 |
| July 31, 2105 | 15,105,198 | 9.029 |
| Aug. 20, 2128 | 10,433,307 | 7.833 |
| Aug. 7, 2145 | 6,476,922 | 8.245 |
| Aug. 20, 2168 | 10,250,930 | 7.833 |
| Aug. 2, 2185 | 13,164,149 | 8.826 |
Images and Observations
1991 VH's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 9, 1991. It was last officially observed on March 13, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,917 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
1991 VH can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.162 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 24 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 1991 VH.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 1991 VH:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.137 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1442
- Inclination: 13.91°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 139.34°
- Argument of Periapsis: 206.95°
- Mean Anomaly: 135.52°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.92900 km
- Magnitude: 16.91
- Albedo: 0.408
- Spectral type (SMASS): Sk
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 443 days (1.21 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.92 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.30 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.97 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.62 hours
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 35107 (1991 VH) 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 VH 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.
