SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 5011

Ptah

Ptah belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.636 AU it takes 2.09 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 782
Encyclopedia excerpt
5011 Ptah (; prov. designation: 6743 P-L) is a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group. It was discovered by astronomers with the Palomar–Leiden survey on 24 September 1960. The rare O-type asteroid on an eccentric orbit measures approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) in diameter. It was named after the Ancient Egyptian deity Ptah.
Orbital Period · P
2.09 yr
v(q)
40.3 km/s
v(Q)
13.4 km/s
Diameter · ≈
1.67 km
TJ
4.14
Eccentricity · e
0.5002

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.818 AU) and its farthest (2.454 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.636 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.09 yr (764 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.636 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.5) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 7.41° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 40.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 13.4 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 = 16.64 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 1.67 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 782 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5227 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
1.636 AU
Eccentricity
0.5002
Perihelion
0.818 AU
Aphelion
2.454327 AU
Inclination
7.41°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
96.28°

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
16.64

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.5227
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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