SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 PC3

2020 PC3

2020 PC3 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.543 AU it takes 1.92 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 93
Orbital Period · P
1.92 yr
v(q)
49.2 km/s
v(Q)
11.7 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.31 km
TJ
4
Eccentricity · e
0.6163

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.592 AU) and its farthest (2.494 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.902 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.92 yr (700 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.543 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.616) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 43.28° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 49.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.7 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 = 20.33 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.31 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 93 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5326 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
1.543 AU
Eccentricity
0.6163
Perihelion
0.592 AU
Aphelion
2.493951 AU
Inclination
43.28°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
321.26°

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
2038-Mar-26 05:52 0.413941 AU
61924649 km
37.37 km/s
2040-Feb-24 13:11 0.224417 AU
33572266 km
28.42 km/s
2043-Sep-11 08:08 0.260192 AU
38924154 km
23.79 km/s
2045-Aug-26 21:14 0.340426 AU
50926956 km
33.73 km/s
2061-Mar-21 23:33 0.356201 AU
53286865 km
35.86 km/s
2063-Feb-19 05:32 0.266409 AU
39854232 km
27.65 km/s
2066-Sep-09 12:59 0.211274 AU
31606115 km
24.98 km/s
2068-Aug-23 16:35 0.405887 AU
60719855 km
35.58 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
20.33

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.53261
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

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