SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2021 WB2

2021 WB2

2021 WB2 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.583 AU it takes 1.99 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 50
Orbital Period · P
1.99 yr
v(q)
45 km/s
v(Q)
12.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.04 km
TJ
4.19
Eccentricity · e
0.5656

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.687 AU) and its farthest (2.478 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.791 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.99 yr (727 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.583 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.566) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 4.63° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 45 km/s at perihelion and falls to 12.5 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 = 24.6 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.04 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 50 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4756 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 0 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
1.583 AU
Eccentricity
0.5656
Perihelion
0.687 AU
Aphelion
2.478345 AU
Inclination
4.63°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
125.89°

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-Nov-10 14:35 0.127177 AU
19025368 km
12.97 km/s
2029-Nov-01 16:53 0.183368 AU
27431389 km
11.59 km/s
2055-Jun-17 12:37 0.155909 AU
23323663 km
12.30 km/s
2057-Jun-10 16:13 0.102081 AU
15271174 km
13.69 km/s
2059-Jun-06 21:13 0.050186 AU
7507716 km
15.18 km/s
2061-Jun-03 07:07 0.007199 AU
1076966 km
16.47 km/s
2063-Jun-06 00:14 0.039262 AU
5873500 km
15.50 km/s
2065-Jun-08 15:49 0.078030 AU
11673170 km
14.36 km/s
2067-Jun-13 13:25 0.124020 AU
18553106 km
13.10 km/s
2069-Jun-20 01:59 0.173797 AU
25999590 km
11.93 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
24.6

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.47558
Condition
0
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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