SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 VP5

2018 VP5

2018 VP5 is an Aten-type near-Earth asteroid whose orbit lies mostly inside that of Earth, with a semi-major axis of 0.912 AU and a period of 0.87 yr.

Aten Observations: 39
Orbital Period · P
0.87 yr
v(q)
48.1 km/s
v(Q)
20.2 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.03 km
TJ
6.45
Eccentricity · e
0.4083

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.54 AU) and its farthest (1.285 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.745 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 0.87 yr (318 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 0.912 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.408) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 12.27° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 48.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 20.2 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 = 25.3 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.03 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 39 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5188 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
0.9124 AU
Eccentricity
0.4083
Perihelion
0.54 AU
Aphelion
1.284933 AU
Inclination
12.27°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
338.85°

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
2031-Nov-18 02:16 0.381083 AU
57009266 km
27.08 km/s
2032-Nov-24 15:58 0.234141 AU
35027061 km
10.40 km/s
2033-Jun-10 13:27 0.467245 AU
69898787 km
19.44 km/s
2034-Feb-27 09:40 0.201429 AU
30133308 km
11.88 km/s
2038-Nov-11 07:55 0.187125 AU
27993506 km
21.84 km/s
2041-Feb-18 18:44 0.204498 AU
30592427 km
16.98 km/s
2045-Nov-05 10:41 0.030614 AU
4579758 km
16.72 km/s
2048-Feb-11 21:03 0.266510 AU
39869356 km
22.23 km/s
2052-Nov-02 23:47 0.030461 AU
4556904 km
12.44 km/s
2065-Nov-14 13:34 0.283725 AU
42444672 km
24.57 km/s
2066-Dec-04 02:23 0.275129 AU
41158786 km
10.62 km/s
2067-Jun-02 16:48 0.451189 AU
67496926 km
18.94 km/s
2068-Feb-23 17:50 0.202761 AU
30332680 km
14.37 km/s
2072-Nov-07 17:36 0.134145 AU
20067751 km
19.08 km/s
2073-Aug-04 06:59 0.459186 AU
68693300 km
15.94 km/s
2073-Dec-22 19:35 0.343107 AU
51328099 km
10.78 km/s
2074-May-13 22:34 0.411766 AU
61599358 km
16.91 km/s
2075-Feb-15 00:58 0.267338 AU
39993229 km
19.95 km/s
2079-Nov-04 00:58 0.029118 AU
4356060 km
13.99 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
25.3

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.51883
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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