Discovered by Pan-STARRS 1 Observation arc 2893 days (7.92 yr) Absolute magnitude 20.1 Asteroid group Apohele asteroid | Alternative names 2006 KZ39 Discovered 11 May 2013 Discoverer Pan-STARRS | |
Discovery date 11 May 2013 (25 May 2006) Minor planet category Atira (Aten asteroid subclass)
Near-Earth object Aphelion 0.9397700 AU (140.58759 Gm) (Q) Similar 2014 RC, (436724) 2011 UW158, 2012 TC4, (469219) 2016 HO3, 2015 TB145 | ||
2013 JX28 (also known as 2006 KZ39) is an Atira asteroid, a type of Aten asteroid, that orbits entirely within Earth's orbit. It orbits very close to the Sun, having the second smallest semi-major axis of any minor planet in the Solar System. At its closest, it is only 0.26 AU (39,000,000 km; 24,000,000 mi) from the Sun, but more than 100 minor planets have a smaller perihelion distance.
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Despite being officially classified as a near-Earth object, 2013 JX28 has a MOID (minimum orbit intersection distance) with Earth of ~0.067 AU, making it highly unlikely to ever hit Earth. For comparison, the Moon orbits Earth at about 1/26th this distance.
Physical characteristics
2013 JX28 has an absolute magnitude (H) of 20.1, which means it is rather small, with the size being approximately 300 meters based on an assumed albedo of 0.15. Its albedo is not known, so a size estimate is not certain. Assuming the albedo is between 0.05 and 0.25, it is somewhere between 260–580 meters in diameter.
163693 Atira, an asteroid with an orbit similar to 2013 JX28, for comparison, has an absolute magnitude of 16.28 and is notably larger.
Close approaches
As a near-Earth object, 2013 JX28 often comes within 0.1 AU (15,000,000 km; 9,300,000 mi)] of Earth. On 29 April 2014, it traveled to 0.0843 AU from Earth, about 33 times further than the Moon. Below is a list of close approaches until 2100 where 2013 JX28 travels closer than 0.1 AU to Earth.