SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2006 AM8

2006 AM8

2006 AM8 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.872 AU it takes 2.56 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 128
Orbital Period · P
2.56 yr
v(q)
64.2 km/s
v(Q)
7.4 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.43 km
TJ
3.5
Eccentricity · e
0.7938

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.386 AU) and its farthest (3.358 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.972 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.56 yr (936 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.872 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.794) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 10.13° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 64.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 7.4 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 = 19.59 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.43 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 128 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5567 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
1.872 AU
Eccentricity
0.7938
Perihelion
0.386 AU
Aphelion
3.357994 AU
Inclination
10.13°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
322.3°

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
2029-Feb-24 01:26 0.382185 AU
57174011 km
16.89 km/s
2044-Sep-27 17:42 0.187026 AU
27978734 km
30.66 km/s
2047-Jan-25 07:39 0.253594 AU
37937173 km
33.05 km/s
2062-Sep-02 03:39 0.396289 AU
59284040 km
16.33 km/s
2067-Oct-10 17:47 0.399319 AU
59737254 km
38.66 km/s
2070-Feb-08 00:00 0.191409 AU
28634388 km
24.38 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
19.59

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.55666
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

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