SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 XJ

2016 XJ

2016 XJ belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.275 AU it takes 1.44 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 42
Orbital Period · P
1.44 yr
v(q)
33.1 km/s
v(Q)
21 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.01 km
TJ
5.04
Eccentricity · e
0.2234

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.99 AU) and its farthest (1.56 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.57 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.44 yr (526 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.275 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.223 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 6.21° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 33.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 21 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 = 27.4 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.01 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 42 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5091 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
1.275 AU
Eccentricity
0.2234
Perihelion
0.99 AU
Aphelion
1.559835 AU
Inclination
6.21°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
209.53°

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-Feb-10 17:02 0.392956 AU
58785386 km
16.28 km/s
2029-Nov-01 04:36 0.210656 AU
31513703 km
11.74 km/s
2030-Mar-24 17:43 0.296018 AU
44283620 km
4.53 km/s
2043-Apr-24 00:21 0.400944 AU
59980408 km
6.93 km/s
2049-Aug-04 16:37 0.443441 AU
66337786 km
7.04 km/s
2056-May-16 06:24 0.490050 AU
73310488 km
8.11 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
27.4

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.50911
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.

Keep exploring

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.