SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 XK5

2018 XK5

2018 XK5 is an Amor-type near-Earth asteroid that approaches Earth from beyond our orbit without crossing it, orbiting the Sun at 1.991 AU once every 2.81 yr.

Amor Observations: 86
Orbital Period · P
2.81 yr
v(q)
35.7 km/s
v(Q)
12.5 km/s
Diameter · ≈
0.29 km
TJ
3.67
Eccentricity · e
0.4814

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.032 AU) and its farthest (2.949 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.917 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 2.81 yr (1,026 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 1.991 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.481) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 13.89° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 35.7 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 = 20.46 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.14, the diameter works out to roughly 0.29 km.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 86 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5338 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 1 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
1.991 AU
Eccentricity
0.4814
Perihelion
1.032 AU
Aphelion
2.949467 AU
Inclination
13.89°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461200.5
Mean Anomaly
253.96°

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
2032-Sep-08 13:13 0.452311 AU
67664726 km
5.90 km/s
2032-Dec-18 03:57 0.342490 AU
51235713 km
15.51 km/s
2063-Sep-08 20:59 0.327846 AU
49044999 km
15.23 km/s
2063-Dec-22 03:27 0.449549 AU
67251526 km
6.19 km/s
2077-Sep-24 14:09 0.236516 AU
35382357 km
7.57 km/s
2077-Dec-01 19:38 0.244982 AU
36648834 km
7.03 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
20.46

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.5338
Condition
1
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.