SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2008 WH60

2008 WH60

2008 WH60 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.559 AU once every 1.95 yr.

Amor Observations: 124
Orbital Period · P
1.95 yr
v(q)
31.2 km/s
v(Q)
18.3 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.23 km
TJ
4.37
Eccentricity · e
0.2614

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.152 AU) and its farthest (1.967 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.815 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.95 yr (711 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.559 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.261 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 13.27° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 31.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 18.3 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 = 20.99 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.23 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 124 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3863 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
1.559 AU
Eccentricity
0.2614
Perihelion
1.152 AU
Aphelion
1.966523 AU
Inclination
13.27°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
11.84°

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
2043-Nov-06 13:45 0.394542 AU
59022708 km
9.47 km/s
2045-Nov-22 15:17 0.192986 AU
28870323 km
7.37 km/s
2047-Dec-13 11:33 0.329818 AU
49340030 km
6.94 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
20.99

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.38632
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

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