Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the island of Manhattan (3.60 km diameter)
- Will pass within 19,828,783 km of Earth in 2099
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Taranis is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified Taranis 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.
Taranis orbits the sun every 2,210 days (6.05 years), coming as close as 1.21 AU and reaching as far as 5.44 AU from the sun. Taranis is about 3.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.
Close Approaches
Taranis's orbit is 0.21 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.
Taranis has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 10, 2099 | 19,828,783 | 13.212 |
Images and Observations
Taranis's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 11, 1986. It was last officially observed on May 27, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 351 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 Taranis:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 3.322 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6371
- Inclination: 19.17°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 177.8°
- Argument of Periapsis: 161.34°
- Mean Anomaly: 25.51°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 3.60000 km
- Magnitude: 15.24
- Albedo: 0.037
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 2,210 days (6.05 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.35 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 5.44 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.21 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Taranis 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 Taranis 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.
