SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 BU

2016 BU

2016 BU is an Aten-type near-Earth asteroid whose orbit lies mostly inside that of Earth, with a semi-major axis of 0.815 AU and a period of 0.74 yr.

Aten Observations: 28
Orbital Period · P
0.74 yr
v(q)
41.7 km/s
v(Q)
26.1 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.02 km
TJ
7.15
Eccentricity · e
0.2309

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.627 AU) and its farthest (1.003 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.376 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 0.74 yr (269 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 0.815 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.231 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.03° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 41.7 km/s at perihelion and falls to 26.1 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 = 26.7 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.02 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 28 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4983 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
0.8148 AU
Eccentricity
0.2309
Perihelion
0.627 AU
Aphelion
1.002937 AU
Inclination
9.03°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
235.39°

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
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
26.7

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.49829
Condition
7
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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