 |
|
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|
|
2006 HZ51
An Amor asteroid (a type of near-Earth asteroid) that is one of largest objects to appear on NASA/JPL's list of potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs); it has a diameter of about 800 meters. It is also the PHA that could strike Earth the soonest, though the probability of this happening is only about one is 6 million. The earliest of its 165 possible computed impact dates is June 21, 2008. While the chances of a collision are tiny, the discovery of so large an object with so small a lead time to its first possible impact date highlights the danger humanity still faces from this kind of threat. With so little advance warning, none of the measures suggested for deflecting a potentially hazardous asteroid would be able to be put into effect.
| Diameter | 780 m (est.) |
| Albedo | n/a |
| Eccentricity | 0.501 |
| Semi-major axis | 2.125 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.056 AU |
| Aphelion | 3.191 AU |
| Orbital period | 2.0986 years |
| Inclination | 12.69° |
Related category
• NOTABLE ASTEROIDS, CENTAURS, AND KUIPER BELT OBJECTS
Also on this site:
Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living
Encyclopedia of History
Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site)