SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2021 VL5

2021 VL5

2021 VL5 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.301 AU it takes 1.48 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 24
Orbital Period · P
1.48 yr
v(q)
40.5 km/s
v(Q)
16.9 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.01 km
TJ
4.91
Eccentricity · e
0.4118

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.765 AU) and its farthest (1.837 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.072 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.48 yr (542 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.301 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.412) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 4.52° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 40.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 16.9 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 = 28.6 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.01 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 24 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5847 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
1.301 AU
Eccentricity
0.4118
Perihelion
0.765 AU
Aphelion
1.836752 AU
Inclination
4.52°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
69.66°

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-24 18:50 0.439536 AU
65753629 km
8.02 km/s
2027-Nov-27 17:56 0.372229 AU
55684664 km
6.95 km/s
2036-May-18 04:51 0.022543 AU
3372347 km
15.44 km/s
2039-May-07 18:38 0.210061 AU
31424676 km
22.02 km/s
2058-Nov-26 23:34 0.370329 AU
55400441 km
24.74 km/s
2061-Nov-16 09:25 0.120666 AU
18051323 km
18.17 km/s
2064-Nov-03 19:37 0.005241 AU
784066 km
11.66 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
28.6

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.58468
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.