Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Mount Lemmon Srvy. |
Discovery site | Mount Lemon Obs. |
Discovery date | 8 February 2018 (first observed only) |
Designations | |
2018 CN2 | |
NEO ·
Apollo
[1]
[2] Earth- and Mars crosser | |
Orbital characteristics [2] | |
Epoch 23 March 2018 ( JD 2458200.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 7 | |
Observation arc | 1 day |
Aphelion | 1.7740 AU |
Perihelion | 0.6335 AU |
1.2037 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.4738 |
1.32 yr (482 days) | |
348.58 ° | |
0° 44m 46.68s / day | |
Inclination | 25.741° |
320.21° | |
276.55° | |
Earth MOID | 7.7×10−5 AU (0.03 LD) |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 5–16 m
[3] 9 m (est. at 0.20) [4] 17 m (est. at 0.057) [4] |
27.653 [2] | |
2018 CN2 is a very small asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 5 to 16 meters in diameter. It was first observed by astronomers of the Mount Lemmon Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory, Arizona, on 8 February 2018, one day prior its close encounter with Earth at 0.18 lunar distances. [1]
2018 CN2 is a member of the Apollo asteroids, which cross the orbit of Earth. Apollo's are the largest group of near-Earth objects with nearly 10 thousand known objects.
Based on a high orbital uncertainty, this asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.63–1.77 AU once every 16 months (482 days; semi-major axis of 1.20 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.47 and an inclination of 26 ° with respect to the ecliptic. [2] With an aphelion of 1.77 AU, it is also a Mars-crosser, as it crosses the orbit of the Red Planet at 1.666 AU. The body's observation arc begins at Mount Lemmon with its first observation on 8 February 2018. [1]
The object has an exceptionally low minimum orbital intersection distance with Earth of 11,500 km (0.000077 AU), or 0.03 lunar distances (LD). [2]
On 9 February 2018, 2018 CN2 passed at a nominal distance of only 69,900 km; 43,400 mi (0.000466964 AU) from Earth at 7:25 UTC. [2] This corresponds to 0.18 LD. Based on the body's high orbital uncertainty, all subsequent close encounters in 2022, 2023, 2026, 2027 and 2031, are projected to occur at a distance of more than 15 million kilometers (0.1 AU; 39 LD). [2]
The Minor Planet Center estimates a diameter of 5–16 meters. [3] Based on a generic magnitude-to-diameter conversion, 2018 CN2 measures between 9 and 17 meters in diameter, for an absolute magnitude of 27.653, and an assumed albedo between 0.057 and 0.20, which represent typical values for carbonaceous and stony asteroids, respectively. [4]
As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of 2018 CN2 has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown. [2]
This minor planet has neither been numbered nor named. [1]