SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 EK156

2016 EK156

2016 EK156 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.257 AU it takes 1.41 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 40
Orbital Period · P
1.41 yr
v(q)
34.2 km/s
v(Q)
20.6 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.04 km
TJ
5.07
Eccentricity · e
0.2487

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.945 AU) and its farthest (1.57 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.625 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.41 yr (515 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.257 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.249 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 12.45° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 20.6 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 = 24.75 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.04 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 40 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5909 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
1.257 AU
Eccentricity
0.2487
Perihelion
0.945 AU
Aphelion
1.569616 AU
Inclination
12.45°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457462.5
Mean Anomaly
318.27°

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
2078-Mar-18 23:27 0.209761 AU
31379845 km
14.66 km/s
2078-Sep-25 20:15 0.404272 AU
60478172 km
8.69 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
24.75

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.59089
Condition
8
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.