Asteroids

3908 Nyx help

Last update: 2026-06-04 23:11 UTC

Orbital Properties

Epoch

61200.0

MJD

Orbit type

Amor

Perihelion (q)

1.043

Aphelion (Q)

2.813

Eccentricity (e)

0.459

Inclination (i)

2.2

deg

Orbit period (P)

977.7

Earth MOID

0.05639

U parameter

0.0

A₂

13.2

10^-15au/days²

Next Earth close approach

Date

2079-09-19

Nominal distance (from Earth center)

0.16308

24396330

Maximum Brightness

15.8

mag

Risk

Object is not in risk list

Physical Properties

Absolute Magnitude (H)

17.4

mag

Diameter

1000

Taxonomic type

Rotation period (T)

4.426

Discovery Information

Discovery Date

1980-08-06

Observatory

European Southern Observatory, La Silla

ORBIT VISUALISATION TOOLS

External links

Proper elements

Epoch

Near present day

Near middle of observation arc

Orbit properties

Epoch
Semimajor Axis
Eccentricity (e)
Inclination (i)
Long. of Ascending Node (Ω)
Arg. of Perihelion (ω)
Mean Anomaly (M)
Perihelion distance
Aphelion distance
Asc. Node-Earth Sep.
Desc. Node-Earth Sep.
MOID
Orbit Period
U parameter

Value

1-sigma variation

Unit

Epoch

Value

61200.0000

1-sigma variation

Unit

MJD

Semimajor Axis

Value

1.927880

1-sigma variation

2.800E-9

Unit

Eccentricity (e)

Value

0.459001

1-sigma variation

3.518E-9

Unit

Inclination (i)

Value

2.1863

1-sigma variation

1.119E-6

Unit

Long. of Ascending Node (Ω)

Value

261.1886

1-sigma variation

3.956E-5

Unit

Arg. of Perihelion (ω)

Value

126.6703

1-sigma variation

3.916E-5

Unit

Mean Anomaly (M)

Value

26.60818

1-sigma variation

4.146E-6

Unit

Perihelion distance

Value

1.042981

1-sigma variation

Unit

Aphelion distance

Value

2.812779

1-sigma variation

Unit

Asc. Node-Earth Sep.

Value

1.079311

1-sigma variation

Unit

Desc. Node-Earth Sep.

Value

0.210041

1-sigma variation

Unit

MOID

Value

0.056394

1-sigma variation

Unit

Orbit Period

Value

977.7290

1-sigma variation

Unit

U parameter

Value

0.0

1-sigma variation

Unit

A₂

Value

13.19313

1-sigma variation

2.71913

Unit

10^-15au/days²

Covariance Matrix

	a	e	i	Ω	ω	M	A₂
a	7.83976E-18	-1.12329E-18	-5.54824E-16	1.54817E-14	-1.41278E-14	-1.14019E-14	7.60404E-9
e	-1.12329E-18	1.23778E-17	3.27381E-15	-2.43812E-14	1.93128E-14	2.76056E-15	-1.15320E-9
i	-5.54824E-16	3.27381E-15	1.25206E-12	-2.75941E-11	2.56974E-11	1.22706E-12	-5.84556E-7
Ω	1.54817E-14	-2.43812E-14	-2.75941E-11	1.56492E-9	-1.54689E-9	-1.96713E-11	1.91044E-5
ω	-1.41278E-14	1.93128E-14	2.56974E-11	-1.54689E-9	1.53365E-9	1.61544E-11	-1.78803E-5
M	-1.14019E-14	2.76056E-15	1.22706E-12	-1.96713E-11	1.61544E-11	1.71897E-11	-1.09940E-5
A₂	7.60404E-9	-1.15320E-9	-5.84556E-7	1.91044E-5	-1.78803E-5	-1.09940E-5	7.39367E0

Date of computation: 2026-06-04 23:11 UTC

Note: The ASCII file is in a format suitable for Orbfit input.

Download ASCII file:

Physical properties

Rotation Period
Quality
Amplitude
Rotation Direction
Spinvector L
Spinvector B

Rotational properties

Value

Unit

Source

Rotation Period

Value

4.426

Unit

Source

[6]

Quality

Value

Unit

Source

[6]

Amplitude

Value

0.25-0.46

Unit

mag

Source

[6]

Rotation Direction

Value

Unit

Source

[-]

Spinvector L

Value

292

Unit

Source

[1]

Spinvector B

Value

Unit

Source

[1]

Taxonomy
Taxonomy (all)

Taxonomy

Value

Unit

Source

Taxonomy

Value

Unit

Source

[2]

[3]

Taxonomy (all)

Value

Unit

Source

[4]

[5]

Absolute Magnitude (H)
Slope Parameter (G)

H / G

Value

Unit

Source

Absolute Magnitude (H)

Value

17.4

17.419

Unit

mag

Source

[7]

[8]

Slope Parameter (G)

Value

0.15**

Unit

Source

[8]

Albedo
Diameter

Size and albedo

Value

Unit

Source

Albedo

Value

0.23

Unit

Source

[10]

Diameter

Value

1000

Unit

Source

[9]

Color Index Information

Color Index Information

Value

Unit

Source

Color Index Information

Value

0.44

0.17

Unit

U-B

B-V

Source

[9]

Sightings

Sightings

Value

Unit

Source

Sightings

Value

Visual S

Radar R

Unit

Source

[11]

[12]

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Sources

No.	Name	Additional
[1]	EARN	1.) Kaasalainen, M. et al. (2004) Icarus 167, 178-196. (Photometry and models of eight near-Earth asteroids;1580, 1627,1980,2100,3199,3908,4957,5587) 2.) Drummond, J.D. & W.Z. Wisniewski (1990) Icarus 83, 349-359. (The rotational poles and shapes of 1580 Betulia and 3908 (1980PA) from one apparition)
[2]	EARN	1.) Alexey V. Sergeyev and Benoit Carry A&A, 652 (2021) A59
[3]	EARN	1.) Binzel, R.P. et al. (2004) Icarus 170, 259-294. (Observed spectral properties of near-Earth objects: results for population distribution, source regions, and space weathering processes.)
[4]	EARN	Earth Asteroids Research Node: https://earn.dlr.de
[5]	EARN	1.) Tholen, D.J. et al. (1988), I.A.U. Circ. HREF="http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/04600/04655.html"> 4655. (1980 PA AND 1985 DO2) 2.) Luu, J.X. & D.C. Jewitt (1989) I.A.U. Circ. HREF="http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/04700/04722.html"> 4722. (1985 DO2 AND (3908) 1980 PA) spectra 3.) Binzel, R.P. et al. (2004) Icarus 170, 259-294. (Observed spectral properties of near-Earth objects: results for population distribution, source regions, and space weathering processes.)
[6]	EARN	1.) Pravec, P. et al. (2000) Icarus submitted. (Spin vectors and shapes of (1980) Tezcatlipoca and (3908) Nyx) 2.) Drummond, J.D. & W.Z. Wisniewski (1990) Icarus 83, 349-359. (The rotational poles and shapes of 1580 Betulia and 3908 (1980PA) from one apparition) 3.) Hoffmann, M. & E.H. Geyer (1990) Acta Astronomica 40, 389-396. (Photometric observations of three near-earth asteroids) (1627) (3908) (1685) 4.) Wisniewski, W.Z. (1992) in "Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 1991",(A.W.Harris & E.Bowell, eds.) LPI, Houston, USA, pp. 653-656. (same as 466!) 5.) Kaasalainen, M. et al. (2004) Icarus 167, 178-196. (Photometry and models of eight near-Earth asteroids;1580, 1627,1980,2100,3199,3908,4957,5587) 6.) Cooney, W.R. et al. (2007) MPB 34, 47-49. (LIGHTCURVE RESULTS FOR 486 CREMONA,855 NEWCOMBIA, 942 ROMILDA, 3908 NYX,5139 RUMOI, 5653 CAMARILLO, (102866) 1999 WA5) ) 7.) Torppa, J. et al. (2008) Icarus 198, 91-107. (Asteroid shape and spin statistics from convex models) (1036,1580, 1627,1862,1980,2100,3908,5587,6053)
[7]	EARN	1.) Benner, L. et al. (2000) B.A.A.S. 32, 1001. (Radar observations of asteroids 3908 Nyx (1980 PA))
[8]	ESA Aegis	ESA orbit determination and impact monitoring system
[9]	EARN	1.) Cruikshank, D.P. et al. (1991) Icarus 89, 1-13. (Three basaltic earth-approaching asteroids and the source of the basaltic meteorites)
[10]	EARN	1.) Cruikshank, D.P. et al. (1991) Icarus 89, 1-13. (Three basaltic earth-approaching asteroids and the source of the basaltic meteorites) 2.) Benner, L. et al. (2000) B.A.A.S. 32, 1001. (Radar observations of asteroids 3908 Nyx (1980 PA))
[11]	EARN	1.) Binzel, R.P. et al. (2004) Icarus 170, 259-294. (Observed spectral properties of near-Earth objects: results for population distribution, source regions, and space weathering processes.) 2.) Binzel, R.P. et al. (2006) LPSC 37, 1491. (The MIT-Hawaii-IRTF joint campaign for NEO spectral reconnaissance.) 3.) Binzel, R.P. et al. href="http://smass.mit.edu/minus.html"> Webpage 4.) Gietzen, K.M. & C.H.S. Lacy (2007) LPSC 38, 1104. (Visible and near infrared spectra of main belt and near Earth asteroids) (1036,3908,7753,22771,54509,66251,68950,J99JV3, K03YQ117) 5.) Burbine, T.H. et al. (2008) ACM2008, 8274. (DETERMINING THE PYROXENE MINERALOGIES OF NEAR-EARTH, MIDDLE-BELT, AND OUTER-BELT VESTOIDS) 6.) deLeon, J. et al. (2010) Astron. Astrophys 517, A23. (Observations, compositional, and physical characterization of near-Earth and Mars-crosser asteroids from a spectroscopic survey)
[12]	EARN	1.) href="http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/index.html">JPL's NEO Radar Detection Program Webpage 2.) Ostro, S.J. et al. (1991) Astron. J. 102, 1490-1502. (Asteroid radar astrometry) 3.) Benner, L. A. M. et al., (2002) Icarus 158, 379-388. (Radar Observations of Asteroid 3908 Nyx.) 4.) Benner, L. et al. (2000) B.A.A.S. 32, 1001. (Radar observations of asteroids 3908 Nyx (1980 PA))

Observational Information

Arc Length
Unobserved
Normalized RMS of residuals

Arc Information

Value

Unit

Source

Arc Length

Value

16395

Unit

Source

[1]

Unobserved

Value

374

Unit

Source

[1]

Normalized RMS of residuals

Value

0.510086

Unit

Source

[1]

Astrometry Summary

First Observation
Last Observation
Total Optical Observations (Discarded)

Optical

Value

Unit

Source

First Observation

Value

1980-08-06.27292

Unit

Source

[2]

Last Observation

Value

2025-06-26.346093

Unit

Source

[2]

Total Optical Observations (Discarded)

Value

2103 (17)

Unit

Source

[1]

Radar Summary

First Observation
Last Observation
Delay (Discarded)
Doppler (Discarded)
Total Optical Observations (Discarded)

Radar

Value

Unit

Source

First Observation

Value

1988-09-25

Unit

Source

[3]

Last Observation

Value

2004-11-19

Unit

Source

[3]

Delay (Discarded)

Value

15 (0)

Unit

Source

[1]

Doppler (Discarded)

Value

1 (0)

Unit

Source

[1]

Total Radar Observations (Discarded)

Value

16 (0)

Unit

Source

[1]

Note: The ASCII file is in a format suitable for Orbfit input.

Sources

No.	Name	Additional
[1]	ESA Aegis	ESA orbit determination and impact monitoring system
[2]	MPC	Minor Planet Center: https://www.minorplanetcenter.net
[3]	JPL Radar Observations	Jet Propulsion Laboratory: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/dat/radar_data_ast.txt

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Note: Ephemerides requests are limited to a maximum of 1000 points and a final date not exceeding 2040/12/31 00:00.

Close Approaches for 3908 Nyx from 1950 to 2126

Body	Date in UTC	Time uncert. in min	Nominal distance in au	Min. possible distance in au	Distance uncert. in au
EARTH	1980-09-18 18:03	< 1 s	0.1482203	0.1482202	0.0000000
EARTH	1988-10-11 12:20	< 1 s	0.0615731	0.0615731	0.0000000
EARTH	1996-10-27 20:38	< 1 s	0.0612873	0.0612873	0.0000000
EARTH	2004-11-14 22:44	< 1 s	0.1394287	0.1394287	0.0000000
EARTH	2079-09-19 14:06	< 1 min	0.1630794	0.1630758	0.0000012
EARTH	2087-10-08 13:26	< 1 min	0.0691504	0.0691487	0.0000005
EARTH	2095-10-28 02:22	< 1 min	0.0587094	0.0587083	0.0000003
EARTH	2103-11-16 00:50	< 1 min	0.1242238	0.1242120	0.0000039

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Stationary Points

Ecc. an. ast.	Ecc. an. Earth	Distance in au	Classification
359.89465264	287.29940704	0.05670102	MINIMUM
179.29782771	105.79971314	1.80799798	SADDLE
358.17333236	104.49305050	2.04808662	SADDLE
179.36657247	285.84486915	3.80834203	MAXIMUM

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MOID Plots

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