SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 KU3

2020 KU3

2020 KU3 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.572 AU it takes 4.12 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 67
Orbital Period · P
4.12 yr
v(q)
44.9 km/s
v(Q)
7.7 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.43 km
TJ
2.81
Eccentricity · e
0.7076

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.752 AU) and its farthest (4.392 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.64 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 4.12 yr (1,507 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.572 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.708) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 37.49° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 44.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 7.7 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 = 19.58 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.43 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 67 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4778 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 1 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
2.572 AU
Eccentricity
0.7076
Perihelion
0.752 AU
Aphelion
4.391947 AU
Inclination
37.49°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
136.34°

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
2053-Oct-09 16:01 0.381118 AU
57014379 km
25.69 km/s
2057-Nov-28 14:20 0.297968 AU
44575446 km
32.03 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
19.58

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.47779
Condition
1
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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