SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2021 GL16

2021 GL16

2021 GL16 is an Aten-type near-Earth asteroid whose orbit lies mostly inside that of Earth, with a semi-major axis of 0.99 AU and a period of 0.99 yr.

Aten Observations: 17
Orbital Period · P
0.99 yr
v(q)
36.2 km/s
v(Q)
24.7 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.02 km
TJ
6.11
Eccentricity · e
0.1889

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.803 AU) and its farthest (1.177 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.374 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 0.99 yr (360 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 0.99 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.189 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

Its inclination of 4.72° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 36.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 24.7 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 = 26.28 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.02 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 17 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.2559 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
0.99 AU
Eccentricity
0.1889
Perihelion
0.803 AU
Aphelion
1.177011 AU
Inclination
4.72°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
171.16°

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-Sep-27 23:10 0.080271 AU
12008378 km
3.87 km/s
2028-Sep-15 10:36 0.038434 AU
5749717 km
5.88 km/s
2029-Sep-10 03:11 0.099409 AU
14871408 km
8.47 km/s
2030-Sep-05 07:05 0.191026 AU
28577097 km
11.27 km/s
2031-Aug-31 14:50 0.286742 AU
42896040 km
14.17 km/s
2032-Aug-26 03:38 0.382473 AU
57217201 km
17.07 km/s
2033-Aug-21 18:14 0.477657 AU
71456462 km
19.96 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
26.28

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.25594
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

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