SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 LK

2018 LK

2018 LK belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.068 AU it takes 1.10 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 186
Orbital Period · P
1.10 yr
v(q)
40 km/s
v(Q)
20.8 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.16 km
TJ
5.71
Eccentricity · e
0.3166

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.73 AU) and its farthest (1.406 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.676 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.10 yr (403 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.068 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.317 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 13.93° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 40 km/s at perihelion and falls to 20.8 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 = 21.75 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.16 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 186 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3342 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 1 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
1.068 AU
Eccentricity
0.3166
Perihelion
0.73 AU
Aphelion
1.406129 AU
Inclination
13.93°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
21.29°

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
2029-Jun-22 17:49 0.178635 AU
26723489 km
8.30 km/s
2041-Dec-23 05:50 0.060683 AU
9078059 km
11.24 km/s
2050-Jun-12 22:48 0.088753 AU
13277232 km
14.16 km/s
2053-Jan-02 01:54 0.143190 AU
21420898 km
15.61 km/s
2061-Jun-19 01:18 0.064183 AU
9601694 km
10.47 km/s
2073-Dec-12 10:51 0.158929 AU
23775492 km
9.18 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
21.75

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.33419
Condition
1
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.