SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2021 XM3

2021 XM3

2021 XM3 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.171 AU it takes 1.27 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 69
Orbital Period · P
1.27 yr
v(q)
32.5 km/s
v(Q)
23.3 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.07 km
TJ
5.31
Eccentricity · e
0.1636

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.979 AU) and its farthest (1.363 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.384 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.27 yr (463 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.171 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.164 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

A steep inclination of 22.67° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 32.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 23.3 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 = 23.62 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.07 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 69 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3154 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
1.171 AU
Eccentricity
0.1636
Perihelion
0.979 AU
Aphelion
1.362576 AU
Inclination
22.67°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
178.37°

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
2026-Dec-30 13:33 0.352400 AU
52718362 km
16.02 km/s
2031-Jun-26 22:27 0.380534 AU
56927128 km
11.66 km/s
2035-Nov-21 07:19 0.290316 AU
43430704 km
19.32 km/s
2036-Jun-02 16:31 0.309715 AU
46332751 km
11.75 km/s
2040-Dec-10 05:29 0.009069 AU
1356654 km
12.58 km/s
2041-May-10 22:25 0.341846 AU
51139486 km
11.87 km/s
2074-Jun-28 04:20 0.344781 AU
51578510 km
11.62 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
23.62

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.3154
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

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