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Near-Earth Object

2022 QU3

NASA ID: 54297321

Safe

2022 QU3 will pass Earth on 25 September 2027 at a distance of 18.15 lunar distances (LD) - about 6,978,704 km - travelling at 32,968 km/h. Its estimated diameter is between 11 and 25 metres, roughly the size of a double-decker bus (around 11 m long). NASA does not classify it as potentially hazardous.

Close Approach Date

25 September 2027

In 326 days

Miss Distance

18.15 LD

6,978,704 km

Moon PHA limit

18 times the Moon's distance from Earth

Velocity

32,968 km/h

ISS

1.2 times the orbital speed of the International Space Station

Est. Diameter

11–25 m

Absolute Magnitude

H = 26.84

The brightness measure astronomers use to estimate size

Hazard Classification

Not Hazardous

The real orbit in 3D

The actual path of 2022 QU3 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 2022 QU3 to Earth between 1909 and 2099, 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.

1950 2000 2050 2100 1 LDMoon's orbit 10 LD today 28 Sept 1909 - 27.5 LD22 Aug 1922 - 6.98 LD22 Sept 1927 - 14.73 LD18 Aug 1940 - 5.62 LD29 Sept 1950 - 33.94 LD19 Aug 1981 - 4.72 LD17 Sept 1986 - 16.25 LD14 Aug 1999 - 33.11 LD25 Sept 2009 - 18.14 LD21 Aug 2022 - 4.8 LD25 Sept 2027 - 18.15 LD (this approach)14 Aug 2035 - 35.03 LD29 Sept 2045 - 36.89 LD16 Aug 2053 - 13.16 LD16 Sept 2058 - 16.95 LD17 Aug 2071 - 10.17 LD29 Sept 2081 - 36 LD14 Aug 2089 - 33.99 LD30 Aug 2094 - 13.67 LD27 Sept 2099 - 23.4 LD Close approach date Miss distance (LD, log scale)

Size Comparison

Asteroid 11–25 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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