SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 VF4

2020 VF4

2020 VF4 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.263 AU it takes 1.42 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 66
Orbital Period · P
1.42 yr
v(q)
34.5 km/s
v(Q)
20.4 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.02 km
TJ
5.02
Eccentricity · e
0.257

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.938 AU) and its farthest (1.588 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.65 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.42 yr (518 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.263 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.257 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 18.67° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 20.4 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 = 26.64 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.02 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 66 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4596 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 6 indicates a moderately constrained orbit; predictions decades ahead still carry noticeable uncertainty.

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
1.263 AU
Eccentricity
0.257
Perihelion
0.938 AU
Aphelion
1.587591 AU
Inclination
18.67°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
358.46°

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
2030-Jul-01 13:53 0.317955 AU
47565452 km
12.19 km/s
2037-May-27 07:42 0.380132 AU
56866950 km
10.61 km/s
2037-Nov-24 19:39 0.120482 AU
18023824 km
15.44 km/s
2047-Jun-23 00:08 0.299577 AU
44816104 km
10.04 km/s
2054-May-15 21:31 0.432510 AU
64702634 km
11.12 km/s
2054-Dec-05 03:17 0.268899 AU
40226769 km
20.37 km/s
2057-Jun-29 13:42 0.366785 AU
54870249 km
16.98 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
26.64

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.45955
Condition
6
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.