SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 QF45

2016 QF45

2016 QF45 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.38 AU it takes 3.67 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 100
Orbital Period · P
3.67 yr
v(q)
41.8 km/s
v(Q)
8.9 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.23 km
TJ
3.21
Eccentricity · e
0.6485

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 0.837 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 3.923 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 3.086 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 2.38 AU gives an orbital period of 3.67 yr, or about 1,341 days.

The high eccentricity (0.648) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 6.55° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 41.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.9 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 = 20.98 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.23 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 100 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.3094 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 4 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
2.38 AU
Eccentricity
0.6485
Perihelion
0.837 AU
Aphelion
3.92343 AU
Inclination
6.55°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
216.51°

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-Nov-11 02:09 0.145252 AU
21729404 km
11.99 km/s
2038-Nov-11 18:55 0.150651 AU
22537082 km
12.16 km/s
2049-Nov-13 03:57 0.150069 AU
22449990 km
12.15 km/s
2060-Dec-29 04:26 0.096610 AU
14452635 km
11.94 km/s
2072-Feb-06 18:53 0.206193 AU
30846009 km
20.41 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
20.98

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.30936
Condition
4
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.