SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2015 VU65

2015 VU65

2015 VU65 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.972 AU it takes 2.77 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 64
Orbital Period · P
2.77 yr
v(q)
41.1 km/s
v(Q)
11 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.02 km
TJ
3.64
Eccentricity · e
0.5791

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 0.83 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 3.114 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 2.284 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 1.972 AU gives an orbital period of 2.77 yr, or about 1,011 days.

The high eccentricity (0.579) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 2.96° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 41.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11 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

The measured diameter is 0.05 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

Its geometric albedo of 0.022 indicates a very dark, carbonaceous-type surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 64 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.3759 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 8 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
1.972 AU
Eccentricity
0.5791
Perihelion
0.83 AU
Aphelion
3.113985 AU
Inclination
2.96°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457337.5
Mean Anomaly
344.66°

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

No close approaches to Earth are currently on record for this object.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
0.047 km
Albedo
0.022
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
26.4

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.37588
Condition
8
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database . 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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