SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 CO2

2018 CO2

2018 CO2 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.878 AU it takes 2.57 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 153
Orbital Period · P
2.57 yr
v(q)
50.1 km/s
v(Q)
9.4 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.46 km
TJ
3.62
Eccentricity · e
0.6837

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.594 AU) and its farthest (3.162 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.568 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.57 yr (940 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.878 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.684) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 14.83° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 50.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 9.4 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 = 19.43 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.46 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 153 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4475 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
1.878 AU
Eccentricity
0.6837
Perihelion
0.594 AU
Aphelion
3.161989 AU
Inclination
14.83°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
54.57°

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
2028-Sep-30 04:56 0.372861 AU
55779160 km
31.25 km/s
2036-Mar-26 23:02 0.209997 AU
31415171 km
18.65 km/s
2041-Jul-17 11:55 0.422022 AU
63133646 km
17.87 km/s
2054-Apr-16 14:46 0.306206 AU
45807789 km
17.95 km/s
2059-Aug-14 12:10 0.360814 AU
53977021 km
13.53 km/s
2067-Feb-18 21:07 0.472796 AU
70729252 km
34.81 km/s
2072-May-09 07:30 0.387446 AU
57961023 km
20.22 km/s
2077-Sep-08 17:21 0.211637 AU
31660495 km
17.97 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
19.43

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.44746
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.

Keep exploring

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