SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 5381

Sekhmet

Sekhmet is an Aten-type near-Earth asteroid whose orbit lies mostly inside that of Earth, with a semi-major axis of 0.948 AU and a period of 0.92 yr.

Aten Observations: 1,473
Encyclopedia excerpt
5381 Sekhmet is an Aten asteroid whose orbit is sometimes closer to the Sun than the Earth's. Carolyn Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory discovered it on 14 May 1991. It is named after Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of war. Sekhmet is believed to be an S-type asteroid, and some believe its diameter is approximately 1.4 km. In December 2003, a team of astronomers at Arecibo Observatory announced that the asteroid may have a moon that measures 300 m in diameter and orbits approximately 1.5 km from Sekhmet. This moon is not yet confirmed.
Orbital Period · P
0.92 yr
v(q)
41.5 km/s
v(Q)
22.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
1.59 km
TJ
6.03
Eccentricity · e
0.2964

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.667 AU) and its farthest (1.228 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.561 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 0.92 yr (337 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 0.948 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.296 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

A steep inclination of 48.97° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 41.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 22.5 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 0.94 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

A geometric albedo of 0.507 points to a comparatively bright, reflective surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 1,473 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5349 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
0.9475 AU
Eccentricity
0.2964
Perihelion
0.667 AU
Aphelion
1.228339 AU
Inclination
48.97°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
120.36°

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
0.935 km
Albedo
0.507
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
16.75

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.53488
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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