Key Facts

Overview

38579 (1999 XM15) is a large asteroid that orbits between Mars and Jupiter in the outer reaches of the main asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1999 XM15 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1999 XM15 orbits the sun every 2,900 days (7.94 years), coming as close as 3.20 AU and reaching as far as 4.76 AU from the sun. 1999 XM15 is about 12.1 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the city of Cleveland, Ohio.

No Close Approaches

1999 XM15's orbit is 2.20 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an extremely 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

1999 XM15's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 3, 1998. It was last officially observed on Feb. 19, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,549 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 1999 XM15:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.983 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1963
  • Inclination: 2.66°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 329.84°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 52.7°
  • Mean Anomaly: 35.77°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 12.12600 km
  • Magnitude: 13.39
  • Albedo: 0.069

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,900 days (7.94 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 14.94 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 4.76 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 3.20 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 38579 (1999 XM15) 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.