SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 WL

2020 WL

2020 WL belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.159 AU it takes 1.25 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 32
Orbital Period · P
1.25 yr
v(q)
34.7 km/s
v(Q)
22 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.04 km
TJ
5.38
Eccentricity · e
0.2238

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.9 AU) and its farthest (1.418 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.518 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.25 yr (456 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.159 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.224 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 14.63° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.7 km/s at perihelion and falls to 22 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 = 24.5 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.04 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 32 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5602 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
1.159 AU
Eccentricity
0.2238
Perihelion
0.9 AU
Aphelion
1.418384 AU
Inclination
14.63°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
233.15°

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
2070-May-29 03:52 0.030091 AU
4501503 km
8.59 km/s
2075-May-30 06:41 0.038895 AU
5818573 km
8.33 km/s
2075-Nov-27 14:59 0.254984 AU
38145044 km
8.43 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
24.5

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.56023
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

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