Key Facts

Overview

5371 (1987 VG1) is a large asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1987 VG1 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1987 VG1 orbits the sun every 2,060 days (5.64 years), coming as close as 2.87 AU and reaching as far as 3.47 AU from the sun. 1987 VG1 is about 18.2 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the city of Philadelphia.

No Close Approaches

1987 VG1's orbit is 1.87 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

1987 VG1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 18, 1976. It was last officially observed on May 9, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,190 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 1987 VG1:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.168 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.0955
  • Inclination: 9.58°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 262.39°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 74.73°
  • Mean Anomaly: 192.85°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 18.23500 km
  • Magnitude: 12.6
  • Albedo: 0.064

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,060 days (5.64 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.73 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.47 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.87 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 5371 (1987 VG1) 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.