2018 LF₁₆

2018 LF₁₆ is a small near-Earth asteroid of the Amor group, first observed by astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory on 14 June 2018. Based on limited observations, early estimates of its size of 213 m (699 ft) would make it extremely destructive if it collided with Earth, but predicted orbits make a collision unlikely.

2018 LF₁₆

The best inclined orbit is currently completely outside Earth's orbit, with markers every 30 days of motion.
Discovery [1]
Discovered by	Pan-STARRS 1
Discovery site	Haleakala Obs.
Discovery date	14 June 2018
Designations
MPC designation	2018 LF16
Minor planet category	NEO · Amor [1][2]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 15 June 2018 (JD 2458284.5)
Uncertainty parameter 9
Observation arc	1.8 days[3]
Aphelion	2.6756 AU
Perihelion	1.1432 AU
Semi-major axis	1.9094 AU
Eccentricity	0.4013
Orbital period	2.64 yr (964 d)
Mean anomaly	313.01°
Mean motion	0° 22^m 24.96^s / day
Inclination	15.473°
Longitude of ascending node	166.30°
Argument of perihelion	188.78°
Earth MOID	0.138 AU (53.9 LD)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	213 m[3] 280 m[4]
Absolute magnitude (H)	20.3[1] 20.5[2][4] 21.0[3]

In November 2018, news article headlines exaggerated[5] claims of 62 potentially dangerous Earth-orbit crossings in the next century but also reported NASA calculations indicating there is only a 1 in 30,000,000 chance of impact.[6] Additionally, 2018 LF₁₆ is rated at 0 on the Torino Scale, meaning that the chance of impact is so low as to effectively be zero. The observation arc extends only 1.8 days,[3] leaving large uncertainties in its predicted motion,[7][8] causing 2018 LF₁₆ to be considered a lost asteroid.[9]

Its current best orbit leaves it entirely outside of Earth's orbit, never coming closer than 0.13 AU to Earth (MOID).

It is placed 9492nd on near-Earth asteroid Tisserand parameters list.[10]

References

1. "2018 LF16". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2018 LF16)" (2018-06-16 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
3. "Sentry: Earth Impact Monitoring - Object Details 2018 LF16". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
4. "ESA space situational awareness 2018LF16". European Space Agency. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
5. Wehner, Mike (26 November 2018). "No, asteroid 2018 LF16 probably isn't going to hit the Earth". Boy Genius Report.
6. Kettley, Sebastian (25 November 2018). "NASA asteroid WARNING: 700-foot-wide space rock on 62 RISK trajectories with Earth by 2023". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
7. "MPC Ephemerides for Visible Risk-Listed Objects". www.hohmanntransfer.com. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
8. Chamberlin, Alan. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
9. "NEODyS-2 - Near Earth Objects - Dynamic Site - Risk List". SpaceDys. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
10. "Near-Earth Asteroid Tisserand Parameters". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 6 August 2020.

External links

• 2018 LF16 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Obs prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Obs info · Close · Physical info · NEOCC
• 2018 LF16 at ESA–space situational awareness
  • Ephemerides · Observations · Orbit · Physical Properties · Summary
• 2018 LF16 at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters