Near-Earth Object
140288 (2001 SN289
NASA ID: 20140288
140288 (2001 SN289 will pass Earth on 12 March 2027 at a distance of 49.45 lunar distances (LD) - about 19,008,125 km - travelling at 117,066 km/h. Its estimated diameter is between 1,263 and 1,263 metres, roughly the size of Ben Nevis (1,345 m tall). NASA classifies it as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) - a designation based on size and orbital proximity, not on any predicted impact.
Close Approach Date
12 March 2027
In 242 days
Miss Distance
49.45 LD
19,008,125 km
49 times the Moon's distance from Earth
Velocity
117,066 km/h
4.2 times the orbital speed of the International Space Station
Est. Diameter
1,263–1,263 m
Absolute Magnitude
H = 16.73
The brightness measure astronomers use to estimate size
Hazard Classification
Potentially Hazardous
A watch-list label based on size and orbit, not a predicted impact
The real orbit in 3D
The actual path of 140288 (2001 SN289 around the Sun, computed from JPL orbital elements. Drag to rotate, scroll to zoom, and use the time controls to run the orbit forwards or back.
Every recorded pass
Each dot is one close approach of 140288 (2001 SN289 to Earth between 1927 and 1996, from JPL's records. Lower means closer: a dot under the dashed line passed nearer than the Moon. The orange dot is the approach on this page.
Size Comparison
Reading the Numbers
- A lunar distance (LD) is the average gap between Earth and the Moon, about 384,400 km. It is the standard yardstick for close approaches. Read more →
- Diameter estimates come from brightness. A dark surface reflects less light than a bright one, so the true size can sit anywhere in the quoted range. Read more →
- Potentially hazardous is a watch-list label based on size and orbital proximity. It does not mean an impact is expected. Read more →
