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Near-Earth Object

2021 KO2

NASA ID: 54149827

Safe

2021 KO2 will pass Earth on 29 May 2027 at a distance of 77.48 lunar distances (LD) - about 29,783,460 km - travelling at 39,166 km/h. Its estimated diameter is between 7 and 15 metres, roughly the size of a double-decker bus (around 11 m long). NASA does not classify it as potentially hazardous.

Close Approach Date

29 May 2027

In 340 days

Miss Distance

77.48 LD

29,783,460 km

Moon PHA limit

77 times the Moon's distance from Earth

Velocity

39,166 km/h

ISS

1.4 times the orbital speed of the International Space Station

Est. Diameter

7–15 m

Absolute Magnitude

H = 28.02

The brightness measure astronomers use to estimate size

Hazard Classification

Not Hazardous

The real orbit in 3D

The actual path of 2021 KO2 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 2021 KO2 to Earth between 1905 and 2024, 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.

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 1 LDMoon's orbit 10 LD today 1 Jun 1905 - 27.15 LD30 May 1906 - 4.43 LD29 May 1907 - 12.18 LD27 May 1908 - 30.78 LD2 Jun 2019 - 31.24 LD31 May 2020 - 14.75 LD30 May 2021 - 0.96 LD30 May 2022 - 3.08 LD29 May 2023 - 15.72 LD28 May 2024 - 30.47 LD Close approach date Miss distance (LD, log scale)

Size Comparison

Asteroid 7–15 m Double-decker bus 11 m long

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 →

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