7236 (1987 PA)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
• Will pass within 21,282,070 km of Earth in 2143
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

7236 (1987 PA) is a small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 1987 PA 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.

1987 PA orbits the sun every 1,640 days (4.49 years), coming as close as 1.20 AU and reaching as far as 4.25 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1987 PA is probably between 0.553 to 1.236 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Close Approaches

1987 PA's orbit is 0.20 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.

1987 PA has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

1987 PA's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 1, 1987. It was last officially observed on July 30, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 188 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 PA:

• 45 Eugenia (A857 MA)
• 110 Lydia (A870 HA)
• 140 Siwa (A874 TB)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 7236 (1987 PA) 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 1987 PA 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.