Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 22,758,250 km of Earth in 2040
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2018 JA is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2018 JA as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2018 JA orbits the sun every 619 days (1.69 years), coming as close as 1.00 AU and reaching as far as 1.84 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2018 JA is probably between 0.215 to 0.481 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2018 JA's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2018 JA has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 3, 2040 | 22,758,250 | 15.936 |
| May 20, 2079 | 11,396,953 | 16.609 |
| May 24, 2101 | 2,520,670 | 16.173 |
| May 29, 2128 | 10,479,566 | 15.843 |
| May 17, 2150 | 22,837,367 | 17.445 |
| May 27, 2177 | 3,359,493 | 15.976 |
| May 29, 2199 | 7,245,112 | 15.883 |
Images and Observations
2018 JA's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 20, 2013. It was last officially observed on June 13, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 194 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 2018 JA:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.421 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.297
- Inclination: 28.15°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 63.51°
- Argument of Periapsis: 197.82°
- Mean Anomaly: 36.29°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.278 km
- Magnitude: 20.46
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 619 days (1.69 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.97 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.84 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.00 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2018 JA 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 2018 JA 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.
