SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2012 CU

2012 CU

2012 CU belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.743 AU it takes 2.30 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 50
Orbital Period · P
2.30 yr
v(q)
39.4 km/s
v(Q)
12.9 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.02 km
TJ
3.98
Eccentricity · e
0.5063

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.861 AU) and its farthest (2.625 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.764 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.30 yr (840 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.743 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.506) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 0.31° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 39.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 12.9 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 = 26.09 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.02 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 50 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.35 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 7 signals a poorly constrained orbit, so its future path should be treated as provisional.

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
1.743 AU
Eccentricity
0.5063
Perihelion
0.861 AU
Aphelion
2.625481 AU
Inclination
0.31°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
98.3°

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
2035-Feb-17 04:32 0.110335 AU
16505938 km
16.70 km/s
2048-Sep-19 11:08 0.454386 AU
67975124 km
24.91 km/s
2058-Mar-01 07:31 0.310066 AU
46385142 km
23.24 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
26.09

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.35002
Condition
7
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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