SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 EQ4

2018 EQ4

2018 EQ4 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.012 AU it takes 2.85 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 217
Orbital Period · P
2.85 yr
v(q)
40 km/s
v(Q)
11 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.43 km
TJ
3.59
Eccentricity · e
0.5673

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.87 AU) and its farthest (3.153 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.283 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.85 yr (1,042 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.012 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.567) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 11.27° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 40 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11 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 = 19.57 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.43 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 217 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5585 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
2.012 AU
Eccentricity
0.5673
Perihelion
0.87 AU
Aphelion
3.153408 AU
Inclination
11.27°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
335.19°

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
2037-Dec-29 22:21 0.139627 AU
20887865 km
12.38 km/s
2058-Jan-13 04:54 0.123651 AU
18497854 km
11.81 km/s
2077-Dec-25 05:16 0.148603 AU
22230756 km
12.94 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
19.57

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.55847
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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