SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 GN

2018 GN

2018 GN belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 2.422 AU it takes 3.77 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 86
Orbital Period · P
3.77 yr
v(q)
49.1 km/s
v(Q)
7.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.02 km
TJ
3.07
Eccentricity · e
0.736

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.639 AU) and its farthest (4.205 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.566 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 3.77 yr (1,377 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.422 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.736) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 1.6° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 49.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 7.5 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 = 26.21 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.02 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 86 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3528 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 7 signals a poorly constrained orbit, so its future path should be treated as provisional.

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
2.422 AU
Eccentricity
0.736
Perihelion
0.639 AU
Aphelion
4.204592 AU
Inclination
1.6°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
47.19°

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
2071-Apr-14 05:23 0.000749 AU
112080 km
20.34 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
26.21

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.35277
Condition
7
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

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.