2018 PD20

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.

2018 PD20
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]
NEO · Apollo [1][4]
Orbital characteristics [4]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 7[4] · 6[1]
Observation arc1 day
Aphelion1.6604 AU
Perihelion0.8163 AU
1.2383 AU
Eccentricity0.3408
1.38 yr (503 d)
300.72°
0° 42m 54.72s / day
Inclination9.4808°
317.68°
283.56°
Earth MOID0.000182 AU (0.0708 LD)
27191 km
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
9 m (est. at 0.24)[5]
20 m (est. at 0.05)[5]
27.38[4]
27.4[1]

    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

    References
    1. "2018 PD20". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
    2. "Previous NEO Confirmation Page Objects". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
    3. "Pseudo-MPEC for A107ZJi". www.projectpluto.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
    4. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2018 PD20)" (2018-08-12 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
    5. "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS NASA/JPL. Retrieved 7 September 2018.

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