SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2026 DM16

2026 DM16

2026 DM16 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.651 AU it takes 4.32 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 56
Orbital Period · P
4.32 yr
v(q)
41 km/s
v(Q)
8.2 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.54 km
TJ
2.94
Eccentricity · e
0.6676

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 0.881 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 4.421 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 3.54 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 2.651 AU gives an orbital period of 4.32 yr, or about 1,577 days.

The high eccentricity (0.668) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 23.73° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 41 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.2 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 = 19.08 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.54 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 56 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.3382 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 5 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
2.651 AU
Eccentricity
0.6676
Perihelion
0.881 AU
Aphelion
4.420808 AU
Inclination
23.73°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
344.71°

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

No close approaches to Earth are currently on record for this object.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
19.08

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.33823
Condition
5
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database . 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.