SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 NM15

2016 NM15

2016 NM15 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.232 AU once every 1.37 yr.

Amor Observations: 37
Orbital Period · P
1.37 yr
v(q)
31.9 km/s
v(Q)
22.6 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.01 km
TJ
5.18
Eccentricity · e
0.1717

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.021 AU) and its farthest (1.444 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.423 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.37 yr (499 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.232 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.172 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

Its inclination of 1.9° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 31.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 22.6 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 = 27.5 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.01 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 37 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4682 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 6 indicates a moderately constrained orbit; predictions decades ahead still carry noticeable uncertainty.

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
1.232 AU
Eccentricity
0.1717
Perihelion
1.021 AU
Aphelion
1.443534 AU
Inclination
1.9°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
105.07°

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-Apr-29 02:19 0.247345 AU
37002293 km
11.34 km/s
2027-Oct-02 06:54 0.282096 AU
42201032 km
4.33 km/s
2031-Mar-02 22:26 0.277019 AU
41441447 km
4.53 km/s
2031-Aug-08 10:40 0.235802 AU
35275496 km
11.42 km/s
2034-Dec-31 14:53 0.447535 AU
66950345 km
7.64 km/s
2038-Nov-10 15:21 0.400776 AU
59955207 km
6.80 km/s
2046-Feb-13 03:10 0.345149 AU
51633586 km
5.74 km/s
2046-Aug-15 22:21 0.415373 AU
62138925 km
15.38 km/s
2049-Dec-30 18:44 0.433258 AU
64814491 km
7.56 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
27.5

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.46817
Condition
6
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.

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