SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2017 PY26

2017 PY26

2017 PY26 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.619 AU it takes 2.06 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 75
Orbital Period · P
2.06 yr
v(q)
47.9 km/s
v(Q)
11.4 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.11 km
TJ
4.06
Eccentricity · e
0.6144

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.624 AU) and its farthest (2.614 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.99 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.06 yr (752 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.619 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.614) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 16.9° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 47.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.4 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 = 22.47 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.11 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 75 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4331 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
1.619 AU
Eccentricity
0.6144
Perihelion
0.624 AU
Aphelion
2.613714 AU
Inclination
16.9°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
73.15°

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
2050-Aug-09 05:19 0.161431 AU
24149700 km
24.26 km/s
2052-Aug-31 11:33 0.208333 AU
31166137 km
14.63 km/s
2054-Nov-03 22:41 0.426023 AU
63732143 km
17.48 km/s
2056-Dec-29 01:40 0.356440 AU
53322636 km
14.25 km/s
2059-Feb-12 15:30 0.011525 AU
1724047 km
20.02 km/s
2061-Mar-02 19:11 0.384918 AU
57582925 km
30.89 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
22.47

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.43313
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

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