SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 1996 TP6

1996 TP6

1996 TP6 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.635 AU it takes 4.28 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 72
Orbital Period · P
4.28 yr
v(q)
39.1 km/s
v(Q)
8.6 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.36 km
TJ
3.06
Eccentricity · e
0.6384

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.953 AU) and its farthest (4.317 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.364 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 4.28 yr (1,562 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.635 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.638) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.27° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 39.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.6 km/s at aphelion.

Because q < 1 AU and Q > 1 AU, this orbit geometrically intersects the region of Earth's orbit.

Size and surface

No direct size measurement is available; from an absolute magnitude of H = 19.98 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.36 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 72 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5974 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 0 means the orbit is very well determined, leaving only a small uncertainty in the future ephemeris.

About these computed values

Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

Orbital Parameters

Semi-Major Axis
2.635 AU
Eccentricity
0.6384
Perihelion
0.953 AU
Aphelion
4.317184 AU
Inclination
9.27°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
1.92°

Orbit diagram

The Sun sits at the focus (orange). Earth's orbit is the grey circle at 1 AU. The red dot marks the object's position at the catalog epoch.

3D orbit (interactive)

Drag to rotate; scroll or pinch to zoom. The Sun is at the focus (orange), Earth's orbit is the grey ring at 1 AU, and the red dot marks the object's current position.

Close approaches

Predicted close approaches to Earth, from NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).

Date (UTC)Miss distanceVelocity
2043-May-22 10:00 0.107674 AU
16107745 km
15.04 km/s
2060-Aug-14 16:39 0.151856 AU
22717359 km
10.79 km/s

Distances in astronomical units (AU) and kilometres. Source: NASA/JPL CNEOS Close Approach Data API.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
19.98

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.59736
Condition
0
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database · NASA CNEOS. Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

Keep exploring

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.