2018 TF3 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2018 TF3 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2018 TF3 orbits the sun every 1,140 days (3.12 years), coming as close as 0.60 AU and reaching as far as 3.66 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2018 TF3 is probably between 0.210 to 0.470 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2018 TF3 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.35 hours.
2018 TF3's orbit is 0.02 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 TF3 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
---|---|---|
May 2, 2025 | 16,396,729 | 23.897 |
April 21, 2050 | 12,698,480 | 18.232 |
April 14, 2075 | 24,932,711 | 15.831 |
Nov. 3, 2096 | 5,090,361 | 21.782 |
April 22, 2103 | 14,558,537 | 17.962 |
Nov. 3, 2124 | 10,061,677 | 22.474 |
April 24, 2131 | 9,083,176 | 18.818 |
Nov. 18, 2155 | 22,778,538 | 16.403 |
April 24, 2162 | 11,512,435 | 18.603 |
Nov. 19, 2186 | 22,240,738 | 16.179 |
May 7, 2193 | 24,314,986 | 25.224 |
2018 TF3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 21, 2015. It was last officially observed on Sept. 3, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 411 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 2018 TF3 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.
The below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2018 TF3 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.