SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 WJ3

2020 WJ3

2020 WJ3 is an Aten-type near-Earth asteroid whose orbit lies mostly inside that of Earth, with a semi-major axis of 0.916 AU and a period of 0.88 yr.

Aten Observations: 112
Orbital Period · P
0.88 yr
v(q)
43.5 km/s
v(Q)
22.3 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.08 km
TJ
6.21
Eccentricity · e
0.3234

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.62 AU) and its farthest (1.212 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.592 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 0.88 yr (320 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 0.916 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.323 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

A steep inclination of 48.79° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 43.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 22.3 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 = 23.16 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.08 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 112 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4928 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
0.9159 AU
Eccentricity
0.3234
Perihelion
0.62 AU
Aphelion
1.212102 AU
Inclination
48.79°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459176.5
Mean Anomaly
255.47°

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-24 14:57 0.093900 AU
14047166 km
23.81 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
23.16

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.49282
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

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