SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 VD6

2020 VD6

2020 VD6 is an Aten-type near-Earth asteroid whose orbit lies mostly inside that of Earth, with a semi-major axis of 0.846 AU and a period of 0.78 yr.

Aten Observations: 33
Orbital Period · P
0.78 yr
v(q)
61.6 km/s
v(Q)
17 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.06 km
TJ
6.78
Eccentricity · e
0.5673

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.366 AU) and its farthest (1.326 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.96 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 0.78 yr (284 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 0.846 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.567) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 18.21° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 61.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 17 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 = 23.97 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.06 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 33 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3807 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 8 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
0.8462 AU
Eccentricity
0.5673
Perihelion
0.366 AU
Aphelion
1.326249 AU
Inclination
18.21°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459170.5
Mean Anomaly
265.57°

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
2027-Nov-26 17:08 0.084105 AU
12582001 km
16.63 km/s
2030-Oct-17 09:00 0.362606 AU
54245126 km
14.45 km/s
2033-Sep-12 06:51 0.289374 AU
43289756 km
20.62 km/s
2034-Nov-25 21:28 0.091349 AU
13665637 km
15.94 km/s
2040-Sep-13 06:58 0.291201 AU
43563038 km
21.91 km/s
2041-Nov-24 10:36 0.103946 AU
15550122 km
15.34 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
23.97

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.3807
Condition
8
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.