2018 DQ
2018 DQ
Current distance from Earth
180,795,323km
470.3 lunar distances1.209 AU
Heliocentric orbit · top-down · live
Long-term impact monitoring
2018 DQ is tracked on the long-term monitoring list — here’s what the numbers actually mean.
Torino scale
0 — No hazard
Cumulative impact chance
1 in 4,650
0.022% across all dates
Palermo scale
-3.82
below background risk
Possible dates tracked
104
between 2027 and 2121
A Torino rating of 0 means no cause for concern, and a Palermo value of -3.82 — below zero — means the chance is lower than the background risk of a similar random impact over the same period. The headline figure is a cumulative probability spread across 104 possible dates between 2027 and 2121, so the chance on any one date is far smaller still. No impact is predicted, and objects are routinely removed from monitoring as their orbits are refined — both Apophis and 2024 YR4 were.
Orbit class
APO
around the Sun
Orbital period
2.24 yr
817 days
Diameter
5 m
about the size of a house
Eccentricity
0.684
orbit shape
Inclination
0.4°
to the ecliptic
Discovered
—
Size in perspective
45%2018 DQ is about 45% the size of a double-decker bus.
Observe it tonight
Apparent brightness
mag 38.8
Too faint to observe
Right ascension
16h 22m
Declination
−21° 04′
From your location
tap to check ›
2018 DQ is currently faint (magnitude 38.8) — it brightens around close approaches. Position is in equatorial coordinates (J2000); pair it with our sky conditions to plan a session.
Frequently asked questions
Is 2018 DQ going to hit Earth?
No impact is predicted. 2018 DQ is tracked on the long-term impact-monitoring list with a cumulative chance of roughly 1 in 4,650, spread across 104 possible dates between 2027 and 2121 — a very low probability. Its Torino rating is 0 (no hazard), and its Palermo value of -3.82 sits below the background level. Objects are removed from monitoring as their orbits are refined. The full impact-monitoring breakdown is shown above.
How big is 2018 DQ?
2018 DQ is estimated at about 5 m across — about the size of a house. Size estimates are derived from how bright the asteroid appears and refined by radar and thermal measurements when it passes close to Earth.
What kind of orbit does 2018 DQ have?
2018 DQ is APO object. It orbits the Sun once every 2.24 years, on an elliptical path that reaches beyond Earth’s orbit and swings back toward the Sun. The interactive orbit diagram above shows where it is right now.
Can I see 2018 DQ through a telescope?
Most of the time 2018 DQ is far too faint to see, but during a close approach it can brighten enough for amateur telescopes. Check the close-approach date above, then plan your night with our sky and space-weather tools.
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