SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 409256

409256

409256 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.206 AU once every 3.28 yr.

Amor Observations: 174
Orbital Period · P
3.28 yr
v(q)
35.8 km/s
v(Q)
11.2 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.74 km
TJ
3.36
Eccentricity · e
0.5219

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.055 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 3.357 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 2.302 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 2.206 AU gives an orbital period of 3.28 yr, or about 1,197 days.

The high eccentricity (0.522) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 25.75° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 35.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.2 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 1.89 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

Its geometric albedo of 0.026 indicates a very dark, carbonaceous-type surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 174 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.622 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
2.206 AU
Eccentricity
0.5219
Perihelion
1.055 AU
Aphelion
3.357311 AU
Inclination
25.75°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
238.1°

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
1.887 km
Albedo
0.026
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
18.42

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.62199
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.

Keep exploring

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.