SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2012 NQ

2012 NQ

2012 NQ belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.88 AU it takes 2.58 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 208
Orbital Period · P
2.58 yr
v(q)
58.5 km/s
v(Q)
8.1 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.32 km
TJ
3.54
Eccentricity · e
0.7574

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.456 AU) and its farthest (3.304 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.848 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.58 yr (942 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.88 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.757) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 11.48° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 58.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.1 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 = 20.26 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.32 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 208 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3842 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
1.88 AU
Eccentricity
0.7574
Perihelion
0.456 AU
Aphelion
3.303912 AU
Inclination
11.48°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
117.53°

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
2030-Aug-31 10:52 0.421510 AU
63056959 km
15.84 km/s
2041-Mar-03 07:46 0.327883 AU
49050565 km
32.55 km/s
2043-Jul-08 03:41 0.327618 AU
49011001 km
33.20 km/s
2054-Jan-06 10:25 0.407276 AU
60927672 km
19.48 km/s
2061-Jul-20 05:25 0.150423 AU
22502980 km
25.52 km/s
2072-Feb-08 21:18 0.241739 AU
36163623 km
20.18 km/s
2079-Aug-01 21:39 0.244636 AU
36597054 km
18.83 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
20.26

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.38419
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.