SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 VZ3

2016 VZ3

2016 VZ3 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.317 AU once every 1.51 yr.

Amor Observations: 162
Orbital Period · P
1.51 yr
v(q)
31 km/s
v(Q)
21.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.15 km
TJ
4.72
Eccentricity · e
0.1748

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.087 AU) and its farthest (1.547 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.46 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.51 yr (552 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.317 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.175 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

A steep inclination of 39.55° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 31 km/s at perihelion and falls to 21.8 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 = 21.83 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.15 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 162 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5088 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
1.317 AU
Eccentricity
0.1748
Perihelion
1.087 AU
Aphelion
1.547212 AU
Inclination
39.55°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
120.23°

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

No close approaches to Earth are currently on record for this object.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
21.83

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.50879
Condition
0
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database . 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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