SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2017 NT6

2017 NT6

2017 NT6 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.9 AU once every 2.62 yr.

Amor Observations: 51
Orbital Period · P
2.62 yr
v(q)
33.7 km/s
v(Q)
13.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.05 km
TJ
3.83
Eccentricity · e
0.4182

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.105 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 2.695 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 1.59 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 1.9 AU gives an orbital period of 2.62 yr, or about 957 days.

The high eccentricity (0.418) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 6.76° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 33.7 km/s at perihelion and falls to 13.8 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 = 24.2 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.05 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 51 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.3713 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
1.9 AU
Eccentricity
0.4182
Perihelion
1.105 AU
Aphelion
2.69458 AU
Inclination
6.76°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
148.14°

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
2038-Jun-06 19:44 0.239012 AU
35755721 km
12.21 km/s
2051-Jul-31 03:30 0.153751 AU
23000758 km
11.12 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
24.2

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.37129
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

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