SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2021 HC3

2021 HC3

2021 HC3 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.122 AU it takes 1.19 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 145
Orbital Period · P
1.19 yr
v(q)
63.9 km/s
v(Q)
12.4 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.17 km
TJ
5.24
Eccentricity · e
0.6755

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.364 AU) and its farthest (1.88 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.516 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.19 yr (434 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.122 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.675) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 28.4° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 63.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 12.4 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 = 21.57 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.17 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 145 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4518 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
1.122 AU
Eccentricity
0.6755
Perihelion
0.364 AU
Aphelion
1.879911 AU
Inclination
28.4°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
59.63°

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-Apr-21 16:25 0.340768 AU
50978177 km
35.17 km/s
2034-May-09 08:40 0.377522 AU
56476513 km
18.12 km/s
2037-Jan-10 19:21 0.456378 AU
68273177 km
29.69 km/s
2040-May-05 11:52 0.059611 AU
8917723 km
24.56 km/s
2042-Dec-12 08:19 0.445181 AU
66598144 km
25.04 km/s
2046-Apr-22 22:32 0.309469 AU
46295867 km
34.19 km/s
2053-May-08 05:10 0.413699 AU
61888475 km
17.85 km/s
2056-Jan-14 14:31 0.473703 AU
70864933 km
30.84 km/s
2059-May-07 16:45 0.095331 AU
14261344 km
23.39 km/s
2061-Dec-17 05:19 0.435679 AU
65176719 km
24.98 km/s
2065-Apr-24 23:33 0.259784 AU
38863072 km
32.65 km/s
2072-May-06 05:47 0.464007 AU
69414436 km
17.62 km/s
2078-May-09 00:34 0.151779 AU
22705747 km
21.94 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
21.57

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.45185
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.

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