SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2063

Bacchus

Bacchus belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.078 AU it takes 1.12 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 1,561
Encyclopedia excerpt
2063 Bacchus, provisional designation 1977 HB, is a stony asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 1 kilometer in diameter. The contact binary was discovered on 24 April 1977, by American astronomer Charles Kowal at the Palomar Observatory in California, United States. It was named after Bacchus from Roman mythology.
Orbital Period · P
1.12 yr
v(q)
41.3 km/s
v(Q)
19.9 km/s
Diameter · ≈
1.28 km
TJ
5.67
Eccentricity · e
0.3492

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.701 AU) and its farthest (1.454 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.753 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.12 yr (409 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.078 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.349 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.43° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 41.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 19.9 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

The measured diameter is 1.02 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

A geometric albedo of 0.203 points to a comparatively bright, reflective surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 1,561 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3669 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
1.078 AU
Eccentricity
0.3492
Perihelion
0.701 AU
Aphelion
1.454438 AU
Inclination
9.43°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
50.93°

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
1.024 km
Albedo
0.203
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
17.21

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.36685
Condition
0
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.

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