SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 EL56

2016 EL56

2016 EL56 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.029 AU it takes 2.89 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 82
Orbital Period · P
2.89 yr
v(q)
75 km/s
v(Q)
5.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.21 km
TJ
3.2
Eccentricity · e
0.8558

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.293 AU) and its farthest (3.765 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.472 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.89 yr (1,056 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.029 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.856) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 11.35° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 75 km/s at perihelion and falls to 5.8 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 = 21.1 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.21 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 82 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3663 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 2 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
2.029 AU
Eccentricity
0.8558
Perihelion
0.293 AU
Aphelion
3.765418 AU
Inclination
11.35°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
213.55°

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
2027-Jul-03 06:08 0.168224 AU
25165918 km
32.16 km/s
2042-Mar-02 09:44 0.124980 AU
18696731 km
27.13 km/s
2053-Jun-27 04:08 0.227359 AU
34012449 km
35.46 km/s
2065-Mar-27 22:47 0.437464 AU
65443616 km
44.01 km/s
2068-Feb-26 15:37 0.206365 AU
30871706 km
24.54 km/s
2079-Jul-02 10:45 0.170774 AU
25547393 km
32.93 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
21.1

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.36631
Condition
2
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.