astro.wikisort.org - Asteroid

(523662) 2012 MU₂, provisional designation 2012 MU₂, is a sub-kilometer asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group.[2] It was discovered on 18 June 2012 by astronomers of the Catalina Sky Survey at an apparent magnitude of 19.9 using a 0.68-meter (27 in) Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope.[4] It has an estimated diameter of 240 meters (790 ft).[3] The asteroid was listed on Sentry Risk Table with a Torino Scale rating of 1 on 23 June 2012.[3]

(523662) 2012 MU₂

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Catalina Sky Srvy.
Discovery site	Catalina Stn.
Discovery date	18 June 2012
Designations
MPC designation	(523662) 2012 MU2
Alternative designations	2012 MU2
Minor planet category	Apollo · NEO · PHA[1][2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	6.23 yr (2,277 d)
Aphelion	3.1119 AU
Perihelion	0.9987 AU
Semi-major axis	2.0553 AU
Eccentricity	0.5141
Orbital period (sidereal)	2.95 yr (1,076 d)
Mean anomaly	114.89°
Mean motion	0° 20m 4.2s / day
Inclination	11.222°
Longitude of ascending node	250.33°
Argument of perihelion	16.587°
Earth MOID	0.0011 AU (0.43 LD)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	240 m (est.)[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)	20.8[1][2]

Orbit and classification

2012 MU₂ is a member of the Apollo asteroids, a group of near-Earth objects with an Earth-crossing orbit. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.0–3.1 AU once every 2 years and 11 months (1,076 days; semi-major axis of 2.06 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.51 and an inclination of 11° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]

On 24 June 2012 with an observation arc of 6 days, 2012 MU₂ showed a 1 in 7,140 chance of impacting Earth on 1 June 2015. It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on the next day (25 June).[5]

With an observation arc of 113 days, the JPL Small-Body Database (solution JPL 42 dated 2013-Aug-05) shows that 2012 MU₂ may make a very close approach to asteroid 29 Amphitrite on 8 April 2179.[6] The minimum approach distance is about 0.000032 AU (4,800 km; 3,000 mi), but the maximum distance is 0.14 AU (21,000,000 km; 13,000,000 mi).[6] The nominal approach is 0.047 AU (7,000,000 km; 4,400,000 mi).[6]

The Earth approach in 2015 occurred on 15 May 2015 at a distance of 0.11485 AU (17,181,000 km; 10,676,000 mi).[6]

Numbering and naming

This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 25 September 2018 (M.P.C. 111778).[7] As of 2018, it has not been named.[1]

References

External links

• List of the Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs), Minor Planet Center
• (523662) 2012 MU2 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Obs prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Obs info · Close · Physical info · NEOCC
• (523662) 2012 MU2 at ESA–space situational awareness
  • Ephemerides · Observations · Orbit · Physical Properties · Summary
• (523662) 2012 MU2 at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters

---