SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 BU8

2020 BU8

2020 BU8 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.517 AU it takes 1.87 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 37
Orbital Period · P
1.87 yr
v(q)
38.4 km/s
v(Q)
15.3 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.12 km
TJ
4.36
Eccentricity · e
0.4309

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 0.863 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 2.171 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 1.308 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 1.517 AU gives an orbital period of 1.87 yr, or about 682 days.

The high eccentricity (0.431) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 18.18° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 38.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 15.3 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 = 22.4 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.12 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 37 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.4274 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 4 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
1.517 AU
Eccentricity
0.4309
Perihelion
0.863 AU
Aphelion
2.170675 AU
Inclination
18.18°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
107.64°

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
2033-Jul-05 14:33 0.314035 AU
46979030 km
17.12 km/s
2035-Feb-07 12:46 0.104147 AU
15580124 km
16.82 km/s
2048-Apr-08 20:22 0.297056 AU
44438893 km
11.09 km/s
2048-Jul-02 04:45 0.337850 AU
50541692 km
9.45 km/s
2061-Jul-08 02:08 0.343497 AU
51386411 km
18.60 km/s
2063-Feb-10 13:57 0.052513 AU
7855797 km
15.65 km/s
2076-Mar-30 01:50 0.279534 AU
41817658 km
11.25 km/s
2076-Jul-04 13:30 0.358414 AU
53618038 km
9.40 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
22.4

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.42736
Condition
4
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.