96744 (1999 OW3)

Mid-sized Apollo-class Asteroid

Near-Earth
Space Reference » Apollo-class Asteroids » 96744 (1999 OW3)

Key Facts

Overview

96744 (1999 OW3) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1999 OW3 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.

1999 OW3 orbits the sun every 1,110 days (3.04 years), coming as close as 0.46 AU and reaching as far as 3.73 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1999 OW3 is probably between 2.969 to 6.638 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

No Close Approaches

1999 OW3's orbit is 0.36 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

1999 OW3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 18, 1999. It was last officially observed on Aug. 1, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,259 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 1999 OW3:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.093 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.7799
  • Inclination: 34.93°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 196.12°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 35.69°
  • Mean Anomaly: 56.57°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~3.832 km
  • Magnitude: 14.76

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,110 days (3.04 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.51 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.73 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.46 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 96744 (1999 OW3) 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 1999 OW3 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.