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Near-Earth Object

474158 (1999 FA

NASA ID: 20474158

⚠ Hazardous

474158 (1999 FA will pass Earth on 4 March 2027 at a distance of 16.52 lunar distances (LD) - about 6,350,110 km - travelling at 23,860 km/h. Its estimated diameter is between 192 and 429 metres, roughly the size of The Shard in London (310 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

4 March 2027

In 121 days

Miss Distance

16.52 LD

6,350,110 km

Moon PHA limit

17 times the Moon's distance from Earth

Velocity

23,860 km/h

ISS

0.9 times the orbital speed of the International Space Station

Est. Diameter

192–429 m

Absolute Magnitude

H = 20.71

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 474158 (1999 FA 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 474158 (1999 FA to Earth between 1909 and 2095, 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 6 Mar 1909 - 4.32 LD18 Sept 1918 - 37.36 LD7 Mar 1950 - 6 LD1 Mar 1989 - 30.77 LD6 Mar 1999 - 4.17 LD4 Mar 2027 - 16.52 LD (this approach)5 Mar 2046 - 7.74 LD2 Mar 2085 - 21.14 LD7 Mar 2095 - 9.65 LD Close approach date Miss distance (LD, log scale)

Size Comparison

Asteroid 192–429 m The Shard 310 m tall

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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