SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2006 VJ

2006 VJ

2006 VJ is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.469 AU once every 1.78 yr.

Amor Observations: 93
Orbital Period · P
1.78 yr
v(q)
30.2 km/s
v(Q)
20 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.15 km
TJ
4.54
Eccentricity · e
0.2017

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.172 AU) and its farthest (1.765 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.593 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.78 yr (650 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.469 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.202 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 17.38° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 30.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 20 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 = 21.9 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.15 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 93 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.6296 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
1.469 AU
Eccentricity
0.2017
Perihelion
1.172 AU
Aphelion
1.765297 AU
Inclination
17.38°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
356.57°

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
2038-Oct-28 03:10 0.254882 AU
38129824 km
9.24 km/s
2047-Nov-27 16:20 0.436344 AU
65276170 km
10.02 km/s
2054-Oct-21 20:18 0.334638 AU
50061133 km
9.41 km/s
2063-Nov-17 13:19 0.344458 AU
51530228 km
10.16 km/s
2070-Oct-11 18:21 0.420821 AU
62953961 km
9.14 km/s
2079-Nov-11 22:55 0.260177 AU
38921882 km
9.67 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
21.9

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.62963
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.