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Near-Earth Object

2024 RL16

NASA ID: 54471078

Safe

2024 RL16 will pass Earth on 10 August 2027 at a distance of 88.16 lunar distances (LD) - about 33,890,176 km - travelling at 45,785 km/h. Its estimated diameter is between 17 and 37 metres, roughly the size of a double-decker bus (around 11 m long). NASA does not classify it as potentially hazardous.

Close Approach Date

10 August 2027

In 325 days

Miss Distance

88.16 LD

33,890,176 km

Moon PHA limit

88 times the Moon's distance from Earth

Velocity

45,785 km/h

ISS

1.7 times the orbital speed of the International Space Station

Est. Diameter

17–37 m

Absolute Magnitude

H = 26.01

The brightness measure astronomers use to estimate size

Hazard Classification

Not Hazardous

The real orbit in 3D

The actual path of 2024 RL16 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 2024 RL16 to Earth between 1907 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.

1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 1 LDMoon's orbit 10 LD today 11 Oct 1907 - 24.87 LD13 Oct 1946 - 38.09 LD9 Aug 1949 - 20.05 LD12 Sept 2024 - 19.36 LD Close approach date Miss distance (LD, log scale)

Size Comparison

Asteroid 17–37 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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