SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2008 QC

2008 QC

2008 QC is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.273 AU once every 3.43 yr.

Amor Observations: 117
Orbital Period · P
3.43 yr
v(q)
35.1 km/s
v(Q)
11.1 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.27 km
TJ
3.4
Eccentricity · e
0.5198

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.092 AU) and its farthest (3.455 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.363 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 3.43 yr (1,252 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.273 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.52) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 11.12° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 35.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.1 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 = 20.62 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.27 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 117 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5077 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
2.273 AU
Eccentricity
0.5198
Perihelion
1.092 AU
Aphelion
3.454505 AU
Inclination
11.12°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
72.95°

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
2032-Aug-31 01:12 0.173879 AU
26011983 km
7.58 km/s
2056-Sep-04 01:03 0.167308 AU
25028873 km
8.45 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
20.62

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.50773
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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