2018 WV1

2018 WV1 is a very small asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group that passed within 27,000 kilometers (17,000 miles) of the Earth's surface on 2 December 2018.[6][7] It was first observed on 29 November 2018 by Hannes Gröller with the Catalina Sky Survey at Catalina Station on Mount Bigelow, Arizona, in the United States.[1][3]

2018 WV1
2018 WV1's flyby trajectory
Discovery [1]
Discovered byCSS
H. Groeller[2][3]
Discovery siteCatalina Station
Discovery date29 November 2018
(first observed only)
Designations
2018 WV1
ZW0C3A5
NEO · Apollo [1][4]
Earth crosser
Orbital characteristics [4]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc13 days
Aphelion1.1021 AU
Perihelion0.9767 AU
1.0394 AU
Eccentricity0.0603
1.06 yr (387 d)
169.02°
0° 55m 48.36s / day
Inclination1.6525°
246.42°
145.89°
Earth MOID0.039 LD (12900 km)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
4 m (assumed)[5]
30.145[5]
30.183[4]
30.2[1]

    Orbit

    2018 WV1 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.98–1.10 AU once every 387 days (semi-major axis of 1.04 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.06 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.[4]

    As an Apollo asteroid with an orbital period slightly larger than that of the Earth, its orbit is very similar to that of the Earth, indicating that the object is a piece of lunar ejecta, a fragment of the Moon that was ejected into space when a larger asteroid hit the Moon a long time ago.[7]

    2018 flyby

    On 2 December 2018, the asteroid passed about 33,000 km (21,000 mi) from Earth, traveling 5.2 kilometres per second (3.2 mi/s) relative to Earth and briefly reaching apparent magnitude 17.[4] This was the third-closest approach by an asteroid in 2018, and the 70th asteroid of the year that passed within 1 lunar distance of Earth.[6] Its absolute magnitude of 30.1 indicates a diameter between 2.5 and 5.6 metres.[7]

    2018 WV1 remains inside the Earth's sphere of influence from 27 November till 7 December 2018.[8] During the flyby, its orbital period changes from 1.13 to 1.06 years.

    At the time of its discovery, 2018 WV1 had a 2% chance to hit Earth in early December 2018. The possibility of impact was ruled out soon after, as more data became available.[7]

    Other flybys

    2018 WV1 will pass within 0.38 AU (57,000,000 km) of Earth in December 2019.[4]

    With a short observation arc of 1.69 days, the asteroid is on the Sentry risk list, with a probability of 1 in 11,000 for an impact between 2085 and 2118.[9]

    • Its closest approach will be between the earth and sun, so can't be observed.
    • Animation of 2018 WV1 orbit around Earth
         Moon ·    Earth ·    2018 WV1
    • Animation of 2018 WV1 orbit around Sun from 2017 to 2021
         Sun ·    Earth ·    2018 WV1

    See also

    References
    1. "2018 WV1". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
    2. "MPEC 2018-W81 : 2018 WV1". Minor Planet Center. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    3. "A small rock discovered this week by our observer Hannes Gröller". Catalina Sky Survey. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    4. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2018 WV1)" (2018-12-12 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
    5. "2018WV1 physical properties". European Space Agency. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    6. "Asteroid 2018 WV1 will flyby Earth at a very close distance of 0.09 LD on December 2, 2018". The Watchers. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    7. Byrd, D. (1 December 2018). "Small asteroid to sweep close this weekend". earthsky.org. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    8. "Earth's Busy Neighborhood". hohmanntransfer.com. Asteroid/Comet Connection. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
    9. "2018 WV1 -- Earth Impact Risk Summary". JPL. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.

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