SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 YW2

2020 YW2

2020 YW2 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.247 AU it takes 1.39 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 68
Orbital Period · P
1.39 yr
v(q)
56.4 km/s
v(Q)
12.6 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.35 km
TJ
4.79
Eccentricity · e
0.6346

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.456 AU) and its farthest (2.038 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.582 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.39 yr (509 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.247 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.635) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 35.64° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 56.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 12.6 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 = 20.01 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.35 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 68 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3955 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 1 means the orbit is very well determined, leaving only a small uncertainty in the future ephemeris.

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
1.247 AU
Eccentricity
0.6346
Perihelion
0.456 AU
Aphelion
2.038346 AU
Inclination
35.64°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
30.92°

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
2039-Jan-05 03:16 0.484739 AU
72515897 km
26.23 km/s
2046-Jan-01 22:41 0.479708 AU
71763263 km
21.47 km/s
2078-Jan-04 20:06 0.479775 AU
71773312 km
25.84 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
20.01

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.39553
Condition
1
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.