SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2021 LE1

2021 LE1

2021 LE1 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.413 AU once every 1.68 yr.

Amor Observations: 31
Orbital Period · P
1.68 yr
v(q)
33.3 km/s
v(Q)
18.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.14 km
TJ
4.66
Eccentricity · e
0.2775

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.021 AU) and its farthest (1.805 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.784 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.68 yr (613 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.413 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.278 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 11.42° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 33.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 18.8 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 = 22.02 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.14 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 31 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4165 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 4 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
1.413 AU
Eccentricity
0.2775
Perihelion
1.021 AU
Aphelion
1.805108 AU
Inclination
11.42°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
89.4°

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
2031-Mar-18 02:03 0.178502 AU
26703480 km
6.07 km/s
2036-Mar-15 04:37 0.197895 AU
29604598 km
9.75 km/s
2078-Mar-14 18:38 0.154887 AU
23170728 km
8.00 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
22.02

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.41655
Condition
4
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.