SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 VZ5

2018 VZ5

2018 VZ5 is an Aten-type near-Earth asteroid whose orbit lies mostly inside that of Earth, with a semi-major axis of 0.805 AU and a period of 0.72 yr.

Aten Observations: 16
Orbital Period · P
0.72 yr
v(q)
56.3 km/s
v(Q)
19.6 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.04 km
TJ
7.13
Eccentricity · e
0.4845

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (0.415 AU) and its farthest (1.195 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.78 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 0.72 yr (264 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 0.805 AU.

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

The orbital plane is tilted 15.59° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 56.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 19.6 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 = 24.8 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.04 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 16 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5558 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 6 indicates a moderately constrained orbit; predictions decades ahead still carry noticeable uncertainty.

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
0.8052 AU
Eccentricity
0.4845
Perihelion
0.415 AU
Aphelion
1.195319 AU
Inclination
15.59°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
280.11°

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
2026-Nov-21 03:09 0.211421 AU
31628090 km
12.12 km/s
2030-Jan-14 22:08 0.276618 AU
41381450 km
17.62 km/s
2031-Nov-04 00:49 0.038046 AU
5691589 km
16.30 km/s
2034-Dec-24 00:30 0.272043 AU
40697016 km
11.87 km/s
2036-Nov-13 04:09 0.361366 AU
54059605 km
26.87 km/s
2038-Jan-04 15:56 0.464584 AU
69500755 km
27.33 km/s
2039-Nov-16 20:33 0.180049 AU
26935016 km
12.16 km/s
2043-Jan-16 05:31 0.259175 AU
38772067 km
15.91 km/s
2044-Nov-04 03:27 0.078889 AU
11801681 km
17.88 km/s
2047-Dec-17 08:53 0.274826 AU
41113389 km
12.03 km/s
2049-Nov-15 19:38 0.413894 AU
61917620 km
28.78 km/s
2051-Jan-07 11:00 0.413664 AU
61883235 km
25.33 km/s
2052-Nov-10 15:28 0.136208 AU
20376371 km
12.33 km/s
2056-Jan-16 07:22 0.253408 AU
37909247 km
14.01 km/s
2057-Nov-05 22:51 0.137050 AU
20502320 km
19.80 km/s
2060-Dec-09 08:08 0.267643 AU
40038882 km
12.10 km/s
2061-Mar-15 02:50 0.423749 AU
63391930 km
13.46 km/s
2062-Nov-18 18:23 0.473859 AU
70888356 km
30.90 km/s
2064-Jan-10 08:46 0.362921 AU
54292282 km
23.13 km/s
2065-Nov-06 13:52 0.083905 AU
12551951 km
12.95 km/s
2069-Jan-12 12:47 0.251691 AU
37652415 km
12.53 km/s
2070-Nov-08 00:45 0.196143 AU
29342561 km
21.67 km/s
2073-Dec-03 08:51 0.253535 AU
37928239 km
12.15 km/s
2074-Mar-23 16:42 0.449251 AU
67207065 km
15.74 km/s
2077-Jan-11 15:41 0.328976 AU
49214146 km
21.31 km/s
2078-Nov-04 19:40 0.045393 AU
6790678 km
13.79 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
24.8

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.55584
Condition
6
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.

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