An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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A → near-Earth asteroid (NEA) that is the prototype of the → Apollo asteroids. It was discovered by the German astronomer Karl Reinmuth (1892-1979) in 1932, but was then lost until 1973. It has an estimated average diameter of 1.4 km, an → orbital period of 652 days, a → perihelion distance of 0.647 AU, and an → aphelion distance of 2.294 AU. It can come as close to Earth as 0.028 AU. Apollo has a small satellite of size less than one-tenth of the primary. Apollo was one of the two first asteroids in which the → YORP effect was detected.

Apollo or Apollon in Greek mythology the god of music and also of prophecy, medicine, archery, poetry, dance, intellectual inquiry and the carer of herds and flocks.

A member of a class of → near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that have orbital → semi-major axes greater than that of the Earth (> 1 → astronomical unit) but → perihelion distances less than the Earth's → aphelion distance (less than 1.017 AU); thus, they cross the Earth's orbit when near the perihelia of their orbits. They are named for the prototype Apollo.

→ Apollo; → asteroid.