Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 6,018,562 km of Earth in 2026
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
524522 (2002 VE68) is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2002 VE68 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2002 VE68 orbits the sun every 225 days (0.62 years), coming as close as 0.43 AU and reaching as far as 1.02 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2002 VE68 is probably between 0.207 to 0.463 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2002 VE68 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 13.50 hours.
Close Approaches
2002 VE68'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.
2002 VE68 has 28 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 2, 2026 | 6,018,562 | 8.717 |
| Oct. 31, 2034 | 6,462,666 | 8.828 |
| Oct. 30, 2042 | 6,915,176 | 8.948 |
| Oct. 29, 2050 | 7,280,032 | 9.048 |
| Oct. 29, 2058 | 7,442,284 | 9.094 |
| Oct. 29, 2066 | 7,302,165 | 9.060 |
| Oct. 30, 2074 | 6,886,825 | 8.953 |
| Nov. 1, 2082 | 6,250,310 | 8.794 |
| Nov. 4, 2090 | 5,440,622 | 8.614 |
| Nov. 9, 2098 | 4,506,746 | 8.482 |
| Nov. 16, 2106 | 3,620,844 | 8.547 |
| Nov. 23, 2114 | 4,706,699 | 9.056 |
| Nov. 30, 2122 | 13,977,080 | 11.165 |
| Oct. 22, 2125 | 19,279,442 | 12.062 |
| Nov. 30, 2130 | 28,826,259 | 14.645 |
| Oct. 28, 2133 | 8,462,157 | 9.342 |
| Nov. 9, 2141 | 4,553,498 | 8.491 |
| Nov. 19, 2149 | 3,508,852 | 8.662 |
| Nov. 25, 2157 | 6,172,923 | 9.407 |
| Nov. 29, 2165 | 12,146,976 | 10.772 |
| Oct. 21, 2168 | 23,690,121 | 13.162 |
| Nov. 30, 2173 | 17,612,511 | 12.050 |
| Oct. 21, 2176 | 19,246,295 | 12.069 |
| Nov. 30, 2181 | 19,933,460 | 12.598 |
| Oct. 21, 2184 | 18,398,574 | 11.870 |
| Nov. 30, 2189 | 18,219,154 | 12.203 |
| Oct. 21, 2192 | 21,197,149 | 12.577 |
| Nov. 29, 2197 | 13,364,290 | 11.066 |
Images and Observations
2002 VE68's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 11, 2002. It was last officially observed on Dec. 3, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 607 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 2002 VE68:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.7236 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4101
- Inclination: 9.04°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 231.47°
- Argument of Periapsis: 355.41°
- Mean Anomaly: 127.51°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.268 km
- Magnitude: 20.54
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 225 days (0.62 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 34.99 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.02 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.43 AU
- Rotation Period: 13.50 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 524522 (2002 VE68) 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 below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2002 VE68 to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
