87309 (2000 QP)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.57 km diameter)
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

87309 (2000 QP) is a small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2000 QP 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.

2000 QP orbits the sun every 285 days (0.78 years), coming as close as 0.46 AU and reaching as far as 1.24 AU from the sun. 2000 QP is about 0.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.

The rotation of 2000 QP has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.17 hours.

No Close Approaches

2000 QP'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.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

2000 QP's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 8, 1975. It was last officially observed on Aug. 6, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 924 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 2000 QP:

• 2340 Hathor (1976 UA)
• 66400 (1999 LT7)
• 203471 (2002 AU4)

References

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

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 87309 (2000 QP) 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 2000 QP 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.