Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 11,408,364 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2017 QK18 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2017 QK18 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
2017 QK18 orbits the sun every 247 days (0.68 years), coming as close as 0.46 AU and reaching as far as 1.08 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2017 QK18 is probably between 0.031 to 0.070 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2017 QK18's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2017 QK18 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 13, 2019 | 11,408,364 | 7.418 |
| July 23, 2021 | 10,575,181 | 9.553 |
| July 23, 2023 | 27,233,847 | 14.084 |
| Sept. 18, 2040 | 23,857,856 | 13.817 |
| Sept. 18, 2042 | 2,617,142 | 9.238 |
| Aug. 31, 2044 | 9,831,646 | 7.438 |
| July 23, 2048 | 12,630,455 | 10.305 |
| July 24, 2050 | 28,647,358 | 14.425 |
| July 25, 2077 | 9,730,072 | 9.176 |
Images and Observations
2017 QK18's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 24, 2017. It was last officially observed on Sept. 19, 2017. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 25 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
This asteroid is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2017 QK18:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.7697 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3996
- Inclination: 4.15°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 359.04°
- Argument of Periapsis: 147.78°
- Mean Anomaly: 184.14°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.040 km
- Magnitude: 24.65
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 247 days (0.68 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 33.90 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.08 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.46 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2017 QK18 is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.
Size Rendering
The below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2017 QK18 to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
