SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2017 QY16

2017 QY16

2017 QY16 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.258 AU it takes 3.39 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 29
Orbital Period · P
3.39 yr
v(q)
49.3 km/s
v(Q)
8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.4 km
TJ
3.07
Eccentricity · e
0.7213

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.629 AU) and its farthest (3.887 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.258 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 3.39 yr (1,239 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.258 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.721) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 32.56° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 49.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8 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 = 19.72 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.4 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 29 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4175 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
2.258 AU
Eccentricity
0.7213
Perihelion
0.629 AU
Aphelion
3.886695 AU
Inclination
32.56°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
172.33°

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-Dec-31 22:34 0.483711 AU
72362096 km
25.50 km/s
2051-Dec-31 14:54 0.487871 AU
72984516 km
25.69 km/s
2068-Dec-31 21:49 0.483605 AU
72346217 km
25.79 km/s
2079-Apr-07 05:22 0.493386 AU
73809553 km
34.86 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
19.72

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.41751
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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