(2018 WU)
Tracked by NASA JPL Near-Earth Object Web Service (NeoWs), (2018 WU) is a Unreported by NASA NeoWs body measuring between 30.52m and 68.24m in diameter. On 2026-11-06, it completes a cislunar approach at 68.00 Lunar Distances (26,151,400.1 km) with a relative heliocentric velocity of 15.14 km/s.
(2018 WU) (JPL ID 3836286) is a Unreported by NASA NeoWs Near-Earth Asteroid spanning 30.5m–68.2m (mean 49.4m). On 2026-11-06, it transits Earth's cislunar surveillance sector at 68.002 Lunar Distances (26,151,400 km) with a relative velocity of 15.14 km/s and a theoretical kinetic energy reserve of 4.93 megatons TNT. Its well-constrained heliocentric ephemeris passes safely outside Earth capture corridors while serving as an orbital calibration target.
Exact Landmark Scale Comparison (68.24m)
Kinetic Impact Physics & Orbital Parameters
(2018 WU) (H = 24.7, Vmag ≈ 22.3) is below consumer optical detection thresholds (requires ≥1000mm survey aperture); explore certified meteorite specimens[↗] or indoor optical projection instead.
Campo del Cielo Meteorite Specimen (Certified Iron-Nickel)
Authentic coarse octahedrite Group IAB iron-nickel meteorite fragment (92.9% Fe, 6.7% Ni) recovered from the Chaco crater field with certificate of authenticity.
Satin-black 5W warm-white LED optical glass lens planetarium projecting 60,000 stars and simulated meteor shower trajectories indoors.
3D Ephemeris Trajectory Waypoints
Planetary Defense Frequently Asked Questions (Schema.org FAQ)
How big is (2018 WU) compared to city landmarks?
(2018 WU) has an estimated diameter between 30.52m and 68.24m. At its upper-bound size of 68.24m, it stands 15% as tall as the 443m Empire State Building in New York City and 21% of the 330m Eiffel Tower.
What does the stored 2026-11-06 close-approach estimate show?
This catalog snapshot lists a nominal miss distance of 68.00 Lunar Distances (26,151,400.1 km) for (2018 WU). This is not an impact prediction; check the latest NASA JPL record for updated orbital estimates. The 3D impact simulation is hypothetical.
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Authentic coarse octahedrite Group IAB iron-nickel meteorite fragment (92.9% Fe, 6.7% Ni) recovered from the Chaco crater field.
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