SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 EL2

2018 EL2

2018 EL2 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.364 AU once every 3.63 yr.

Amor Observations: 24
Orbital Period · P
3.63 yr
v(q)
34.1 km/s
v(Q)
11 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.04 km
TJ
3.36
Eccentricity · e
0.5122

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.153 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 3.575 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 2.422 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 2.364 AU gives an orbital period of 3.63 yr, or about 1,328 days.

The high eccentricity (0.512) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 4.22° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11 km/s at aphelion.

Its perihelion lies just outside Earth's orbit, which is why it is classed as Earth-approaching rather than Earth-crossing.

Size and surface

No direct size measurement is available; from an absolute magnitude of H = 24.6 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.04 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 24 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.8342 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 6 indicates a moderately constrained orbit; predictions decades ahead still carry noticeable uncertainty.

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
2.364 AU
Eccentricity
0.5122
Perihelion
1.153 AU
Aphelion
3.574841 AU
Inclination
4.22°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
98.24°

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

No close approaches to Earth are currently on record for this object.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
24.6

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.8342
Condition
6
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database . 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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