SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 RF3

2018 RF3

2018 RF3 belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross the path of Earth; with a semi-major axis of 1.505 AU it takes 1.85 yr to circle the Sun.

Apollo Observations: 41
Orbital Period · P
1.85 yr
v(q)
34.6 km/s
v(Q)
17 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.01 km
TJ
4.44
Eccentricity · e
0.3403

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.993 AU) and its farthest (2.017 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.024 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 1.85 yr (674 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.505 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.34 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 14.41° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 17 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 = 27 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.01 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 41 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5415 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
1.505 AU
Eccentricity
0.3403
Perihelion
0.993 AU
Aphelion
2.017151 AU
Inclination
14.41°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
81.92°

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-Oct-12 12:05 0.359109 AU
53721932 km
20.89 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
27.0

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.54148
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

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