SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 YU8

2016 YU8

2016 YU8 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.804 AU once every 2.42 yr.

Amor Observations: 150
Orbital Period · P
2.42 yr
v(q)
34 km/s
v(Q)
14.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.31 km
TJ
3.88
Eccentricity · e
0.403

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.077 AU) and its farthest (2.531 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.454 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.42 yr (885 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.804 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.403) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 22.91° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34 km/s at perihelion and falls to 14.5 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 = 20.28 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.31 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 150 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4339 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
1.804 AU
Eccentricity
0.403
Perihelion
1.077 AU
Aphelion
2.531012 AU
Inclination
22.91°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
283.35°

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
2034-Feb-04 04:00 0.413752 AU
61896381 km
14.70 km/s
2034-Jun-01 22:22 0.341557 AU
51096230 km
11.73 km/s
2051-Jun-10 11:14 0.488878 AU
73135090 km
11.41 km/s
2063-Jan-24 09:57 0.448908 AU
67155610 km
11.54 km/s
2063-Jun-02 17:56 0.401479 AU
60060383 km
17.60 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
20.28

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.43392
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

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