(845854) 2018 LF16
is a small Mars crossing asteroid roughly in diameter. It was first observed by astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory on 14 June 2018. It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 29 July 2021. With an observation arc of 15 years the orbit is very well known and it does not make any notable approaches to Earth.
In November 2018, when the asteroid had an observation arc of 1.8 days, news article headlines exaggerated claims of 62 potentially dangerous Earth-orbit crossings in the next century but also reported NASA calculations indicating there was only a 1 in 30,000,000 chance of impact. Additionally, was rated at 0 on the Torino Scale, meaning that the chance of impact was so low as to effectively be zero. The observation arc extended only 1.8 days, leaving large uncertainties in its predicted motion, causing to be considered a lost asteroid.
| Date | JPL Horizons nominal geocentric distance | uncertainty region |
| 2023-08-07 |
With an observation arc of 15 years, it is known that its orbit leaves it entirely outside of Earth's orbit, never coming closer than to Earth. On 7 August 2023 the asteroid was roughly from Earth with an uncertainty region of It reached aphelion on 16 September 2023. It will pass from Mars on 6 July 2027.