Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 24,901,349 km of Earth in 2026
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2018 KH1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2018 KH1 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.
2018 KH1 orbits the sun every 416 days (1.14 years), coming as close as 0.51 AU and reaching as far as 1.67 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2018 KH1 is probably between 0.111 to 0.248 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
Close Approaches
2018 KH1's orbit is 0.12 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
2018 KH1 has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 17, 2026 | 24,901,349 | 13.985 |
| June 13, 2034 | 18,551,964 | 18.395 |
Images and Observations
2018 KH1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 15, 2018. It was last officially observed on June 10, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 66 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 KH1:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.091 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.53
- Inclination: 12.06°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 232.44°
- Argument of Periapsis: 149.42°
- Mean Anomaly: 148.17°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.143 km
- Magnitude: 21.9
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 416 days (1.14 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.53 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.67 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.51 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2018 KH1 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 KH1 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.
