Astronomy:2018 PD20

From HandWiki
2018 PD20
2018PD20-orbit.png
Orbit and positions of 2018 PD20
Discovery [1]
Discovered byATLAS-MLO
Discovery siteMauna Loa Obs.
(first observed only)
Discovery date11 August 2018
Designations
2018 PD20
A107ZJi [2][3]
Minor planet categoryNEO · Apollo[1][4]
Orbital characteristics[4]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 7[4] · 6[1]
Observation arc1 day
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}1.6604 AU
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}0.8163 AU
1.2383 AU
Eccentricity0.3408
Orbital period1.38 yr (503 d)
Mean anomaly300.72°
Mean motion0° 42m 54.72s / day
Inclination9.4808°
Longitude of ascending node317.68°
283.56°
Earth MOID0.000182 AU (0.0708 LD)
27191 km
Physical characteristics
Mean diameterm (est. at 0.24)[5]
20 m (est. at 0.05)[5]
Absolute magnitude (H)27.38[4]
27.4[1]


2018 PD20 is a small asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 9–20 meters (30–66 feet) in diameter. On 11 August 2018, it was first observed by ATLAS at the Mauna Loa Observatory on Hawaii (T08),[1] when it passed 33,500 kilometers (20,800 miles) from the Earth.[4] This is notable because it came within a tenth of the lunar distance, or 0.10 LD which is closer to Earth than satellites in a geostationary orbit. These have an altitude of 0.11 LD, about 36,000 km (22,000 mi), approximately 3 times the width of the Earth.

Orbit and classification

2018 PD20 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.82–1.66 AU once every 17 months (503 days; semi-major axis of 1.24 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.34 and an inclination of 9° with respect to the ecliptic.[4]

The asteroid has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.000181761 AU (27,191 km), which translates into 0.078 lunar distances.[4]

See also

  • List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2018

References

External links