(6037) 1988 EG, is an eccentric, stony asteroid, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid. It belongs to the group of Apollo asteroids and measures approximately half a kilometer in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Jeff T. Alu at the U.S. Palomar Observatory, California, on 12 March 1988.[2]
Discovery[1] | |
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Discovered by | J. Alu |
Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
Discovery date | 12 March 1988 |
Designations | |
MPC designation | (6037) 1988 EG |
Alternative designations | 1988 EG |
Minor planet category | Apollo · NEO · PHA[2] |
Orbital characteristics[1] | |
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 28.24 yr (10,315 days) |
Aphelion | 1.9064 AU |
Perihelion | 0.6359 AU |
Semi-major axis | 1.2711 AU |
Eccentricity | 0.4997 |
Orbital period (sidereal) | 1.43 yr (523 days) |
Mean anomaly | 261.93° |
Mean motion | 0° 41m 15.72s / day |
Inclination | 3.4998° |
Longitude of ascending node | 182.48° |
Argument of perihelion | 242.07° |
Earth MOID | 0.0243 AU · 9.5 LD |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 0.399±0.027 km[3] 0.54 km (derived)[4] |
Synodic rotation period | 2.760±0.002 h[lower-alpha 1] |
Geometric albedo | 0.20 (assumed)[4] 0.37±0.05[3] |
Spectral type | S[4] |
Absolute magnitude (H) | 18.7[1][4] · 19.18±0.20[5] |
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.6–1.9 AU once every 1 years and 5 months (523 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.50 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
The asteroid has an Earth minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.0243 AU (3,600,000 km). In combination with its size, this makes it a potentially hazardous asteroid, which require an intersection distance with Earth of less than 0.05 AU, which is about 19.5 times the distance to the moon, and a diameter of at least 150 meters. On 27 February 2041, it will pass 0.02437 AU (3,646,000 km) from Earth. It also makes close approaches to Mars and Venus.[1]
An ambiguous lightcurve was obtained through photometric observations by Czech astronomer Petr Pravec in 1998. The light-curve gave a rotation period of 2.760±0.002 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.20 in magnitude. The alternative period solution is 2.919±0.22 hours with an amplitude of 0.22 in magnitude (U=2).[lower-alpha 1]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 540 meters, based on an absolute magnitude of 18.7.[4] Observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope using its Infrared Array Camera at wavelengths between 3.6 and 8.0 micrometers, gave an average diameter of 399 meters with a higher albedo of 0.37.[3]
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