(35396) 1997 XF11 is a kilometer-sized asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object, Mars-crosser and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group.

2028 Earth/Moon approach
Date & TimeApproach toNominal distanceuncertainty region (3-sigma)
2028-Oct-26 06:44Earth929253km± 106km
2028-Oct-26 07:39Moon1326430km± 106km

Description

Three months after its discovery on 6 December 1997 by James V. Scotti of the University of Arizona's Spacewatch Project, the asteroid was predicted to make an exceptionally close approach to Earth on 28 October 2028. Additional precovery observations of the asteroid from 1990 were quickly found that refined the orbit and it is now known the asteroid will pass Earth on 26 October 2028, at a distance of 929,000km(2.42LD). During the close approach, the asteroid should peak at about apparent magnitude 8.2, and will be visible in binoculars.

1997 XF11 measures between 0.7 and 1.4 kilometers in diameter.

This asteroid also regularly comes near the large asteroid Pallas.

IAU Circular

On 11 March 1998, using a three-month observation arc, a faulty International Astronomical Union circular and press information sheet were put out that incorrectly concluded "that the asteroid was 'virtually certain' to pass within 80% of the distance to the Moon and stood a 'small...not entirely out of the question' possibility of hitting the Earth in 2028." But by 23 December 1997, it was clear that 1997 XF11 had no reasonable possibility of an Earth impact. Many news outlets mistakenly emphasized the possibility of disaster.

Within hours of the announcement, independent calculations by Paul Chodas, Don Yeomans, and Karri Muinonen had calculated that the probability of Earth impact was essentially zero, and vastly less than the probability of impact from as-yet-undiscovered asteroids. Chodas (1999) concurs with Marsden (1999) that based on the 1997 data alone there was about 1 chance in a hundred thousand that 1997 XF11 could have been on an Earth-impact trajectory—that is, until the 1990 precovery observations eliminated such possibilities. During the October 2002 close approach, the asteroid was observed by the 70-meter Goldstone radar dish, further refining the orbit.

  • v
  • t
  • e
PHADateApproach distance (lunar dist.)Abs. mag (H)Diameter(C) (m)Ref(D)
Nomi- nal(B)Mini- mumMaxi- mum
(33342) 1998 WT241908-12-163.5423.5373.54717.9556–1795
(458732) 2011 MD51918-09-170.9110.9090.91317.9556–1795
(7482) 1994 PC11933-01-172.9272.9272.92816.8749–1357
69230 Hermes1937-10-301.9261.9261.92717.5668–2158
69230 Hermes1942-04-261.6511.6511.65117.5668–2158
(137108) 1999 AN101946-08-072.4322.4292.43517.9556–1795
(33342) 1998 WT241956-12-163.5233.5233.52317.9556–1795
(163243) 2002 FB31961-04-124.9034.9004.90616.41669–1695
(192642) 1999 RD321969-08-273.6273.6253.63016.31161–3750
(143651) 2003 QO1041981-05-182.7612.7602.76116.01333–4306
2017 CH11992-06-054.6913.3916.03717.9556–1795
(170086) 2002 XR141995-06-244.2594.2594.26018.0531–1714
(33342) 1998 WT242001-12-164.8594.8594.85917.9556–1795
4179 Toutatis2004-09-294.0314.0314.03115.32440–2450
(671294)2014 JO252017-04-194.5734.5734.57317.8582–1879
(137108) 1999 AN102027-08-071.0141.0101.01917.9556–1795
(35396) 1997 XF112028-10-262.4172.4172.41816.9881–2845
(154276) 2002 SY502071-10-303.4153.4123.41817.6714–1406
(164121) 2003 YT12073-04-294.4094.4094.40916.21167–2267
(385343) 2002 LV2076-08-044.1844.1834.18516.61011–3266
(52768) 1998 OR22079-04-164.6114.6114.61215.81462–4721
(33342) 1998 WT242099-12-184.9194.9194.91917.9556–1795
(85182) 1991 AQ2130-01-274.1404.1394.14117.11100
314082 Dryope2186-07-163.7092.9964.78617.5668–2158
(137126) 1999 CF92192-08-214.9704.9674.97318.0531–1714
(290772) 2005 VC2198-05-051.9511.7912.13417.6638–2061
(A) List includes near-Earth approaches of less than 5 lunar distances (LD) of objects with H brighter than 18. (B) Nominal geocentric distance from the Earth's center to the object's center (Earth radius≈0.017LD). (C) Diameter: estimated, theoretical mean-diameter based on H and albedo range between X and Y. (D) Reference: data source from the JPL SBDB, with AU converted into LD (1AU≈390LD) (E) Color codes: unobserved at close approach observed during close approach upcoming approaches

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