SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 GG2

2018 GG2

2018 GG2 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.237 AU it takes 3.35 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 153
Orbital Period · P
3.35 yr
v(q)
48.4 km/s
v(Q)
8.2 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.5 km
TJ
3
Eccentricity · e
0.7104

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.648 AU) and its farthest (3.826 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.178 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 3.35 yr (1,222 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.237 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.71) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 43.31° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 48.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.2 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 = 19.26 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.5 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 153 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3841 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
2.237 AU
Eccentricity
0.7104
Perihelion
0.648 AU
Aphelion
3.826165 AU
Inclination
43.31°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
177.57°

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-Apr-03 22:10 0.014738 AU
2204757 km
29.48 km/s
2038-Apr-07 01:46 0.046186 AU
6909301 km
30.69 km/s
2048-Apr-11 12:36 0.153073 AU
22899336 km
32.97 km/s
2058-Apr-18 04:59 0.289851 AU
43361091 km
36.06 km/s
2064-Sep-27 18:07 0.451591 AU
67557092 km
38.89 km/s
2068-Apr-24 00:36 0.419585 AU
62769080 km
39.26 km/s
2074-Oct-03 14:24 0.335242 AU
50151431 km
35.71 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
19.26

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.38415
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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