SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 TX5

2018 TX5

2018 TX5 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 2.177 AU once every 3.21 yr.

Amor Observations: 55
Orbital Period · P
3.21 yr
v(q)
32.6 km/s
v(Q)
12.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.24 km
TJ
3.55
Eccentricity · e
0.4466

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.205 AU) and its farthest (3.149 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.944 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 3.21 yr (1,173 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.177 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.447) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 1.78° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 32.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 12.5 km/s at aphelion.

Its perihelion lies just outside Earth's orbit, which is why it is classed as Earth-approaching rather than Earth-crossing.

Size and surface

No direct size measurement is available; from an absolute magnitude of H = 20.81 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.24 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 55 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4742 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
2.177 AU
Eccentricity
0.4466
Perihelion
1.205 AU
Aphelion
3.149248 AU
Inclination
1.78°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
171.11°

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
2034-Aug-17 11:53 0.408370 AU
61091242 km
4.87 km/s
2050-Aug-04 18:08 0.200616 AU
30011677 km
3.67 km/s
2066-Aug-02 13:01 0.271878 AU
40672327 km
4.66 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
20.81

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.47416
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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