SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 SN3

2020 SN3

2020 SN3 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.133 AU it takes 1.21 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 16
Orbital Period · P
1.21 yr
v(q)
34.1 km/s
v(Q)
23 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0 km
TJ
5.5
Eccentricity · e
0.1955

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.912 AU) and its farthest (1.355 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.443 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.21 yr (440 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.133 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.196 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 5.85° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 23 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 = 29.95 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 16 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3942 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 7 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
1.133 AU
Eccentricity
0.1955
Perihelion
0.912 AU
Aphelion
1.354502 AU
Inclination
5.85°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
216.76°

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-Feb-07 05:33 0.078029 AU
11673009 km
8.57 km/s
2039-Feb-17 11:48 0.227475 AU
34029731 km
15.15 km/s
2043-Aug-28 22:49 0.308116 AU
46093435 km
18.22 km/s
2049-Sep-09 01:46 0.062380 AU
9331961 km
11.80 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
29.95

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.39424
Condition
7
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.