SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2003 YL118

2003 YL118

2003 YL118 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.131 AU it takes 1.20 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 122
Orbital Period · P
1.20 yr
v(q)
47.6 km/s
v(Q)
16.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.15 km
TJ
5.41
Eccentricity · e
0.4864

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.581 AU) and its farthest (1.681 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.1 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.20 yr (439 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.131 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.486) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 7.61° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 47.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 16.5 km/s at aphelion.

Because q < 1 AU and Q > 1 AU, this orbit geometrically intersects the region of Earth's orbit.

Size and surface

No direct size measurement is available; from an absolute magnitude of H = 21.83 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.15 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 122 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3987 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
1.131 AU
Eccentricity
0.4864
Perihelion
0.581 AU
Aphelion
1.681118 AU
Inclination
7.61°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
297.23°

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

Predicted close approaches to Earth, from NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).

Date (UTC)Miss distanceVelocity
2055-May-13 07:24 0.179711 AU
26884316 km
20.34 km/s
2061-May-16 00:15 0.125964 AU
18843963 km
18.40 km/s
2067-May-19 10:39 0.092130 AU
13782492 km
16.64 km/s
2073-May-21 08:58 0.087655 AU
13113053 km
15.28 km/s
2079-May-24 16:11 0.109527 AU
16384956 km
13.80 km/s

Distances in astronomical units (AU) and kilometres. Source: NASA/JPL CNEOS Close Approach Data API.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
21.83

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.39874
Condition
0
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database · NASA CNEOS. 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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