Orbit diagram of 2021 AV7, Jupiter, and the inner planets viewed from the ecliptic pole
With a long observation arc spanning over 4 years, the orbit of 2021 AV7 is well-secured with a condition code of 1.[4] The earliest known precovery observations of 2021 AV7 are from Pan-STARRS 1 on 9 July 2016. These precovery observations were published by the Minor Planet Center on 30 April 2021.[8]
2021 AV7 orbits the Sun at an average distance of 3.05 AU once every 5.33 years. Its orbit has a high eccentricity of 0.71 and an inclination of 29° with respect to the ecliptic plane. Over the course of its orbit, its distance from the Sun ranges from 0.90 AU at perihelion to 5.2 AU at aphelion, crossing the orbits of Earth, Mars, and Jupiter.[4] Since its orbit crosses that of Earth's while having a semi-major axis greater than 1 AU, 2021 AV7 is classified as an Apollo asteroid. Although its nominal orbit has a small minimum orbit intersection distance around 0.00047 AU (70,000 km; 44,000 mi) from Earth's orbital path, the asteroid will not make any close approaches within 0.2 astronomical units (30×10^6 km; 19×10^6 mi) over the next 200 years.[4]
Physical characteristics
Diameter and albedo
Based on an magnitude-to-diameter conversion and a measured absolute magnitude of 18.9, 2021 AV7 measures between 440 and 1,000 meters in diameter for an assumed geometric albedo of 0.25 and 0.05, respectively.[2][5]
^"2021AV7". Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site. Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
^"2021AV7 Ephemerides". Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site (Ephemerides at discovery (obs. code W94)). Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 19 January 2021.