SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 GL2

2016 GL2

2016 GL2 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.451 AU once every 1.75 yr.

Amor Observations: 110
Orbital Period · P
1.75 yr
v(q)
32.5 km/s
v(Q)
18.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.07 km
TJ
4.57
Eccentricity · e
0.2655

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.066 AU) and its farthest (1.836 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.77 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.75 yr (638 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.451 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.266 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 14.94° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 32.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 18.8 km/s at aphelion.

Its perihelion lies just outside Earth's orbit, which is why it is classed as Earth-approaching rather than Earth-crossing.

Size and surface

No direct size measurement is available; from an absolute magnitude of H = 23.67 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.07 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 110 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4162 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
1.451 AU
Eccentricity
0.2655
Perihelion
1.066 AU
Aphelion
1.836241 AU
Inclination
14.94°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
309.92°

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-Mar-23 12:41 0.088208 AU
13195719 km
8.37 km/s
2037-Mar-21 11:09 0.125136 AU
18720033 km
8.42 km/s
2044-Mar-18 21:07 0.196900 AU
29455844 km
8.99 km/s
2051-Mar-17 07:47 0.290809 AU
43504456 km
10.23 km/s
2058-Mar-15 06:39 0.397771 AU
59505665 km
12.05 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
23.67

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.4162
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.