SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 66251

66251

66251 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.536 AU once every 1.90 yr.

Amor Observations: 4,192
Orbital Period · P
1.90 yr
v(q)
29.4 km/s
v(Q)
19.7 km/s
Diameter · ≈
1.41 km
TJ
4.43
Eccentricity · e
0.1981

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.231 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 1.84 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 0.609 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 1.536 AU gives an orbital period of 1.90 yr, or about 695 days.

An eccentricity of 0.198 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 11.28° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 29.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 19.7 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 1.22 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

A geometric albedo of 0.187 points to a comparatively bright, reflective surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 4,192 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.43 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
1.536 AU
Eccentricity
0.1981
Perihelion
1.231 AU
Aphelion
1.840282 AU
Inclination
11.28°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
335.96°

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
1.222 km
Albedo
0.187
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
17.0

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.43003
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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