SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 LF

2020 LF

2020 LF belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.449 AU it takes 1.74 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 76
Orbital Period · P
1.74 yr
v(q)
34.4 km/s
v(Q)
17.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.03 km
TJ
4.57
Eccentricity · e
0.318

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.988 AU) and its farthest (1.91 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.922 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.74 yr (637 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.449 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.318 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 12.31° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 17.8 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 = 25.5 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.03 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 76 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5404 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
1.449 AU
Eccentricity
0.318
Perihelion
0.988 AU
Aphelion
1.909782 AU
Inclination
12.31°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
140.82°

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-May-30 20:09 0.066857 AU
10001652 km
11.22 km/s
2034-May-20 00:43 0.188732 AU
28233926 km
15.07 km/s
2034-Oct-18 18:36 0.454518 AU
67994934 km
7.23 km/s
2041-May-10 10:22 0.328270 AU
49108557 km
19.52 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
25.5

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.5404
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

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.