SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 TM3

2020 TM3

2020 TM3 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.334 AU once every 1.54 yr.

Amor Observations: 30
Orbital Period · P
1.54 yr
v(q)
31.6 km/s
v(Q)
21 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.03 km
TJ
4.88
Eccentricity · e
0.2014

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.065 AU) and its farthest (1.603 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.538 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.54 yr (563 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.334 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.201 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.88° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 31.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 21 km/s at aphelion.

Its perihelion lies just outside Earth's orbit, which is why it is classed as Earth-approaching rather than Earth-crossing.

Size and surface

No direct size measurement is available; from an absolute magnitude of H = 25.2 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.03 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 30 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.585 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
1.334 AU
Eccentricity
0.2014
Perihelion
1.065 AU
Aphelion
1.602668 AU
Inclination
9.88°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
227.39°

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
2037-Oct-12 08:58 0.297142 AU
44451756 km
11.77 km/s
2040-Oct-20 11:14 0.124306 AU
18595868 km
6.19 km/s
2043-Jul-06 05:25 0.453171 AU
67793419 km
5.94 km/s
2055-Feb-27 09:24 0.445704 AU
66676409 km
7.39 km/s
2057-Oct-16 20:05 0.111969 AU
16750335 km
8.25 km/s
2075-Feb-15 23:22 0.406045 AU
60743425 km
6.40 km/s
2077-Oct-19 16:26 0.078212 AU
11700315 km
6.09 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
25.2

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.58501
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.