SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 242187

242187

242187 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.348 AU once every 3.60 yr.

Amor Observations: 993
Orbital Period · P
3.60 yr
v(q)
32.8 km/s
v(Q)
11.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.9 km
TJ
3.39
Eccentricity · e
0.4806

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.219 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 3.476 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 2.257 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 2.348 AU gives an orbital period of 3.60 yr, or about 1,314 days.

The high eccentricity (0.481) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 5.57° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 32.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.5 km/s at aphelion.

Its perihelion lies just outside Earth's orbit, which is why it is classed as Earth-approaching rather than Earth-crossing.

Size and surface

The measured diameter is 0.6 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

A geometric albedo of 0.334 points to a comparatively bright, reflective surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 993 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.4204 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
2.348 AU
Eccentricity
0.4806
Perihelion
1.219 AU
Aphelion
3.476449 AU
Inclination
5.57°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
128.22°

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
2046-Aug-18 10:01 0.328737 AU
49178308 km
4.82 km/s
2064-Aug-22 16:21 0.231341 AU
34608066 km
3.51 km/s

Distances in astronomical units (AU) and kilometres. Source: NASA/JPL CNEOS Close Approach Data API.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
0.605 km
Albedo
0.334
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
17.99

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.4204
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.

Keep exploring

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