SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 MK

2020 MK

2020 MK belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.678 AU it takes 2.17 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 217
Orbital Period · P
2.17 yr
v(q)
46.8 km/s
v(Q)
11.3 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.11 km
TJ
3.99
Eccentricity · e
0.6107

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.653 AU) and its farthest (2.703 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.05 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.17 yr (794 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.678 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.611) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.18° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 46.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.3 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 = 22.5 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.11 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 217 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3323 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
1.678 AU
Eccentricity
0.6107
Perihelion
0.653 AU
Aphelion
2.702755 AU
Inclination
9.18°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
241.74°

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
2035-Dec-25 19:30 0.152870 AU
22869067 km
22.71 km/s
2057-Jun-20 20:10 0.104152 AU
15580863 km
21.32 km/s
2072-Dec-18 18:57 0.047913 AU
7167728 km
18.94 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
22.5

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.33227
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

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.