SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 NA

2018 NA

2018 NA belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.56 AU it takes 1.95 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 149
Orbital Period · P
1.95 yr
v(q)
40.4 km/s
v(Q)
14.1 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.08 km
TJ
4.29
Eccentricity · e
0.4841

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.805 AU) and its farthest (2.315 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.51 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.95 yr (712 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.56 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.484) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 2.6° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 40.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 14.1 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 = 23.15 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.08 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 149 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.3617 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
1.56 AU
Eccentricity
0.4841
Perihelion
0.805 AU
Aphelion
2.315196 AU
Inclination
2.6°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
52.06°

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
2053-Jul-24 19:56 0.435585 AU
65162560 km
25.30 km/s
2055-Jul-07 19:44 0.121067 AU
18111419 km
15.94 km/s
2057-May-24 03:43 0.166545 AU
24914751 km
9.94 km/s
2059-Mar-20 21:05 0.168076 AU
25143875 km
10.02 km/s
2061-Feb-04 07:28 0.130225 AU
19481329 km
16.26 km/s
2063-Jan-18 11:44 0.457370 AU
68421609 km
26.32 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
23.15

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.36166
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

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