SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2002 MT1

2002 MT1

2002 MT1 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.381 AU once every 3.67 yr.

Amor Observations: 124
Orbital Period · P
3.67 yr
v(q)
33.1 km/s
v(Q)
11.2 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.2 km
TJ
3.36
Eccentricity · e
0.493

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.207 AU) and its farthest (3.555 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.348 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 3.67 yr (1,342 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.381 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.493) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 4.72° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 33.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.2 km/s at aphelion.

Its perihelion lies just outside Earth's orbit, which is why it is classed as Earth-approaching rather than Earth-crossing.

Size and surface

No direct size measurement is available; from an absolute magnitude of H = 21.29 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.2 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 124 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5794 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
2.381 AU
Eccentricity
0.493
Perihelion
1.207 AU
Aphelion
3.554833 AU
Inclination
4.72°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
191.03°

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
2035-Jul-09 19:11 0.240131 AU
35923105 km
4.41 km/s
2046-Jul-08 11:21 0.230234 AU
34442451 km
4.75 km/s
2057-Jul-02 07:53 0.352977 AU
52804591 km
8.16 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
21.29

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.57944
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.

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