SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2008 PK3

2008 PK3

2008 PK3 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.889 AU it takes 2.60 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 40
Orbital Period · P
2.60 yr
v(q)
43.1 km/s
v(Q)
10.9 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.14 km
TJ
3.68
Eccentricity · e
0.5969

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.762 AU) and its farthest (3.017 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.255 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.60 yr (948 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.889 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.597) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 17.11° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 43.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 10.9 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 = 21.98 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.14 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 40 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5124 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 1 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
1.889 AU
Eccentricity
0.5969
Perihelion
0.762 AU
Aphelion
3.016544 AU
Inclination
17.11°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
336.98°

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
2034-Jun-19 23:59 0.272992 AU
40839037 km
13.53 km/s
2047-May-15 12:22 0.350389 AU
52417467 km
14.36 km/s
2060-Apr-14 21:53 0.343998 AU
51461353 km
12.51 km/s
2073-Mar-02 10:39 0.222360 AU
33264586 km
14.48 km/s
2078-Aug-16 01:35 0.378114 AU
56565117 km
28.24 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
21.98

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.51243
Condition
1
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.