SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 AF1

2020 AF1

2020 AF1 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.189 AU once every 1.30 yr.

Amor Observations: 23
Orbital Period · P
1.30 yr
v(q)
30.4 km/s
v(Q)
24.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.04 km
TJ
5.29
Eccentricity · e
0.1081

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.061 AU) and its farthest (1.318 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.257 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.30 yr (474 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.189 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.108 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 15.52° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 30.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 24.5 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 = 24.8 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.04 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 23 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3122 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 8 signals a poorly constrained orbit, so its future path should be treated as provisional.

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
1.189 AU
Eccentricity
0.1081
Perihelion
1.061 AU
Aphelion
1.317531 AU
Inclination
15.52°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458852.5
Mean Anomaly
41.46°

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
2028-Dec-14 00:14 0.215615 AU
32255619 km
15.06 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
24.8

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.31223
Condition
8
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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