SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 68063

68063

68063 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.334 AU once every 3.57 yr.

Amor Observations: 3,492
Orbital Period · P
3.57 yr
v(q)
32 km/s
v(Q)
11.9 km/s
Diameter · ≈
2.73 km
TJ
3.41
Eccentricity · e
0.4582

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.264 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 3.403 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 2.139 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 2.334 AU gives an orbital period of 3.57 yr, or about 1,302 days.

The high eccentricity (0.458) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 5.72° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 32 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.9 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 2.3 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

A geometric albedo of 0.211 points to a comparatively bright, reflective surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 3,492 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.3244 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
2.334 AU
Eccentricity
0.4582
Perihelion
1.264 AU
Aphelion
3.403439 AU
Inclination
5.72°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
114.02°

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
2.301 km
Albedo
0.211
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
15.57

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.32443
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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