SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2003 DG6

2003 DG6

2003 DG6 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.003 AU it takes 2.83 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 95
Orbital Period · P
2.83 yr
v(q)
42.5 km/s
v(Q)
10.4 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.25 km
TJ
3.57
Eccentricity · e
0.6059

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.789 AU) and its farthest (3.217 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.428 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.83 yr (1,035 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.003 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.606) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 8.9° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 42.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 10.4 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 = 20.75 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.25 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 95 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.659 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
2.003 AU
Eccentricity
0.6059
Perihelion
0.789 AU
Aphelion
3.216618 AU
Inclination
8.9°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
95.9°

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
2037-Feb-20 06:27 0.227239 AU
33994402 km
19.60 km/s
2039-Sep-28 05:37 0.165816 AU
24805712 km
19.20 km/s
2054-Feb-26 06:49 0.311445 AU
46591556 km
22.62 km/s
2056-Oct-07 23:22 0.068679 AU
10274167 km
15.57 km/s
2071-Mar-07 10:33 0.463050 AU
69271299 km
27.55 km/s
2073-Oct-23 22:49 0.107229 AU
16041281 km
12.77 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
20.75

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.65898
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.