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]
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]
2018 flyby: Its path across the sky on 9 February was north to south (15 minute positions shown) (left). Seen from space, it passes just outside geosynchronous orbit (right).
Physical characteristics
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]