Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 2,762,119 km of Earth in 2032
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2018 RQ1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2018 RQ1 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 RQ1 orbits the sun every 301 days (0.82 years), coming as close as 0.73 AU and reaching as far as 1.03 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2018 RQ1 is probably between 0.025 to 0.112 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2018 RQ1'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.
2018 RQ1 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 15, 2032 | 2,762,119 | 2.866 |
| July 25, 2046 | 17,917,044 | 6.973 |
| May 22, 2051 | 26,876,390 | 3.408 |
| Oct. 5, 2051 | 11,627,674 | 5.612 |
| Sept. 11, 2065 | 3,187,947 | 2.829 |
| Oct. 3, 2089 | 23,002,296 | 8.152 |
Images and Observations
2018 RQ1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 7, 2018. It was last officially observed on Oct. 5, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 116 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2018 RQ1 can be reached with a journey of 386 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 6.191 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 284,208 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2018 RQ1.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2018 RQ1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.8786 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1712
- Inclination: 0.84°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 38.33°
- Argument of Periapsis: 116.33°
- Mean Anomaly: 227.58°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.069 km
- Magnitude: 24.2
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 301 days (0.82 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 31.76 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.03 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.73 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2018 RQ1 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 RQ1 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.
