SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2021 WN2

2021 WN2

2021 WN2 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.021 AU it takes 1.03 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 28
Orbital Period · P
1.03 yr
v(q)
38.9 km/s
v(Q)
22.3 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.02 km
TJ
5.95
Eccentricity · e
0.2715

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.744 AU) and its farthest (1.298 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.554 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.03 yr (377 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.021 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.272 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

Its inclination of 0.26° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 38.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 22.3 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 = 26.72 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.02 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 28 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3625 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
1.021 AU
Eccentricity
0.2715
Perihelion
0.744 AU
Aphelion
1.298202 AU
Inclination
0.26°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
69.3°

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-Jun-25 19:41 0.003478 AU
520308 km
7.20 km/s
2028-Jul-02 10:38 0.129707 AU
19403822 km
12.55 km/s
2054-Nov-28 23:58 0.000052 AU
7776 km
11.43 km/s
2055-Dec-05 20:25 0.000435 AU
65073 km
5.69 km/s
2061-Jun-27 18:03 0.003209 AU
479988 km
9.09 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
26.72

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.36254
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.

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