SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2017 RL

2017 RL

2017 RL is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.441 AU once every 3.81 yr.

Amor Observations: 217
Orbital Period · P
3.81 yr
v(q)
37 km/s
v(Q)
9.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.67 km
TJ
3.18
Eccentricity · e
0.5802

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.025 AU) and its farthest (3.857 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.832 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 3.81 yr (1,393 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.441 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.58) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 19.56° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 37 km/s at perihelion and falls to 9.8 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 = 18.62 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.67 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 217 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4022 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
2.441 AU
Eccentricity
0.5802
Perihelion
1.025 AU
Aphelion
3.857268 AU
Inclination
19.56°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
111.97°

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
2036-Sep-08 06:48 0.022199 AU
3320933 km
13.99 km/s
2055-Aug-29 01:07 0.078770 AU
11783815 km
13.92 km/s
2074-Jul-07 15:27 0.495312 AU
74097649 km
21.51 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
18.62

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.40224
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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