Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller (0.04 km diameter)
- A Near Earth Object
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2021 TC1 is a small asteroid orbiting the sun inside the belt of the inner planets. NASA JPL does not treat 2021 TC1 as potentially hazardous, because its orbit never carries it near Earth.
One lap around the sun takes 2021 TC1 368 days (1.01 years). Over that circuit it swings between 0.76 AU and 1.25 AU from the sun, travelling at an average of 29.68 km/s. At 0.0 kilometers across, 2021 TC1 is roughly the size of a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
At their nearest, the orbits of 2021 TC1 and Earth stay 0.02 AU apart. Its predicted passes are listed below.
These 43 passes come from orbital simulations run by NASA JPL's CNEOS.
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 11, 2019 | 11,671,702 | 9.043 |
| Oct. 12, 2020 | 6,405,629 | 7.713 |
| Oct. 14, 2021 | 5,599,982 | 6.593 |
| Oct. 16, 2022 | 9,146,743 | 5.504 |
| Oct. 15, 2023 | 14,674,319 | 4.302 |
| Sept. 29, 2024 | 20,583,848 | 4.189 |
| Nov. 9, 2024 | 20,911,997 | 4.177 |
| Sept. 15, 2025 | 25,270,608 | 4.812 |
| Nov. 28, 2025 | 25,288,139 | 5.461 |
| Sept. 4, 2026 | 28,829,000 | 5.308 |
| Dec. 11, 2026 | 28,423,515 | 6.364 |
| June 18, 2035 | 29,383,367 | 5.492 |
| March 18, 2036 | 26,914,178 | 5.491 |
| June 7, 2036 | 25,700,094 | 5.043 |
| April 8, 2037 | 22,366,182 | 3.822 |
| May 25, 2037 | 20,879,316 | 4.524 |
| May 11, 2038 | 14,722,289 | 4.485 |
| May 7, 2039 | 8,310,083 | 5.553 |
| May 7, 2040 | 3,724,319 | 6.703 |
| May 8, 2041 | 5,097,488 | 7.774 |
| May 10, 2042 | 11,831,466 | 9.224 |
| May 13, 2043 | 19,987,979 | 10.896 |
| May 14, 2044 | 28,591,791 | 12.597 |
| Oct. 6, 2116 | 29,874,175 | 12.891 |
| Oct. 10, 2117 | 19,939,631 | 10.846 |
| Oct. 13, 2118 | 10,903,689 | 8.922 |
| Oct. 15, 2119 | 5,287,726 | 7.154 |
| Oct. 17, 2120 | 9,072,995 | 5.565 |
| Oct. 14, 2121 | 16,970,148 | 3.953 |
| Sept. 21, 2122 | 24,127,967 | 4.601 |
| Nov. 25, 2122 | 24,076,910 | 5.137 |
| Sept. 6, 2123 | 29,071,093 | 5.29 |
| Dec. 12, 2123 | 28,413,626 | 6.388 |
| March 12, 2131 | 28,772,370 | 6.096 |
| June 15, 2131 | 27,958,003 | 5.313 |
| March 29, 2132 | 24,525,739 | 4.7 |
| May 31, 2132 | 23,083,678 | 4.74 |
| May 15, 2133 | 16,514,124 | 4.359 |
| May 8, 2134 | 8,964,262 | 5.429 |
| May 9, 2135 | 3,358,250 | 6.811 |
| May 10, 2136 | 6,418,262 | 8.134 |
| May 12, 2137 | 14,227,179 | 9.738 |
| May 15, 2138 | 23,081,687 | 11.538 |
Images and Observations
The orbit of 2021 TC1 is pinned down by sightings going back to Oct. 3, 2021, the most recent officially logged on Sept. 27, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center holds 45 observations behind that solution.
Accessibility and Exploration
The NHATS study counts 2021 TC1 among the objects a crewed mission could reach.Similar Objects
These objects follow orbits with much the same shape and tilt as 2021 TC1:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.004 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2466
- Inclination: 2.31°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 261.18°
- Argument of Periapsis: 221.26°
- Mean Anomaly: 250.47°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.04100 km
- Magnitude: 25.34
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 368 days (1.01 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.68 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.25 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.76 AU
Map Comparison
Size Rendering
An artistic impression, scaling 2021 TC1 against the New York skyline from its measured diameter. The shape, colour and texture of the asteroid are invented; only the size is real. Built for full-size desktop browsers.
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
A ◯ pink circle marks where 2021 TC1 sits. It may fall outside your current field of view — use the controls below to change the position, location and time.