| Minorplanet: | yes |
| Background: |
|
| Discovery Ref: |   |
| Discovered: | 26 February 2018 |
| Mp Category: | NEOAten  |
| Orbit Ref: |   |
| Epoch: | 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) |
| Uncertainty: | 5 |
| Observation Arc: | 1 day |
| Perihelion: | 0.8230 AU |
| Semimajor: | 0.9862 AU |
| Eccentricity: | 0.1655 |
| Period: | 358 days |
| Mean Motion: | / day |
| Inclination: | 5.1554° |
| Asc Node: | 341.12° |
| Arg Peri: | 281.37° |
| Mean Diameter: | |
| Abs Magnitude: | 28.4 |
is a micro-asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Aten group, approximately 6- in diameter. It was first observed on 26 February 2018, by astronomers of the Mount Lemmon Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory, Arizona, five days prior to its sub-lunar close encounter with Earth at less than 0.3 lunar distance.
belongs to the Aten group of asteroids, which cross the orbit of Earth. Contrary to the much larger Apollos, Atens have a semi-major axis of less than 1 AU, that is, a period less than a year (Earth).
Based on an observation arc of less than 2 days, it orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.82–1.15 AU once every 12 months (358 days; semi-major axis of 0.986 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic. The body's observation arc begins at Mount Lemmon with its first observation.
On 2 March 2018, at 05:54 UT, this object passed Earth at a nominal distance of 0.00075AU which corresponds to a distance of 112600abbr=offNaNabbr=off. The object also approached the Moon at a similar distance of 133300abbr=onNaNabbr=on the day before. It was the 18th known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance (LD) since the start of 2018 and 6th closest. Five days earlier, a similar object,, came within 175,000 miles (284,000 km). However, the two encounters were unrelated and neither of them represent any hazard to the Earth (also see).
has a notably low minimum orbital intersection distance with Earth of 0.000159AU, or 0.06 LD. The asteroid's next encounter with Earth will be on 26 February 2019 at a much larger distance of 0.13AU. It closest future approach is predicted to occur on 28 February 2064, then at a nominal distance of 0.0628AU.
Based on a generic magnitude-to-diameter conversion, measures between 6 and 12 meters in diameter, for an absolute magnitude of 28.4, and an assumed albedo between 0.057 and 0.20, which represent typical values for carbonaceous and stony asteroids, respectively. As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of this object has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.
This minor planet has neither been numbered nor named.