astro.wikisort.org - Asteroid

2001 AV₄₃ is a very small, monolithic asteroid and fast rotator, classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 30 meters (98 feet) in diameter. It was first observed on 5 January 2001, by astronomers of the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States.[1] The presumed S-type asteroid has a rotation period of only 10 minutes.[3] It has an exceptionally low MOID of 0.66 lunar distance (LD) and will approach Earth at 0.81 LD on 11 November 2029.[2]

2001 AV₄₃

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	LINEAR
Discovery site	Lincoln Laboratory ETS
Discovery date	5 January 2001
Designations
MPC designation	2001 AV43
Minor planet category	NEO · Apollo[1][2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	13.23 yr (4,834 d)
Aphelion	1.5929 AU
Perihelion	0.9744 AU
Semi-major axis	1.2836 AU
Eccentricity	0.2409
Orbital period (sidereal)	1.45 yr (531 d)
Mean anomaly	256.05°
Mean motion	0° 40m 39.72s / day
Inclination	0.2013°
Longitude of ascending node	20.505°
Argument of perihelion	51.311°
Earth MOID	0.0017 AU · 0.66 LD
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	0.03 km (derived)[3]
Synodic rotation period	0.1701 h (612 s)[3][4]
Geometric albedo	0.20 (assumed)[3]
Spectral type	S (assumed)[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)	24.6[1][2] 24.9[3]

Orbit and classification

2001 AV₄₃ is a member of the dynamical Apollo group,[2][1] which are Earth-crossing asteroids. Apollo asteroids are the largest subgroup of near-Earth objects. Unlike many Apollo asteroids, this asteroid is not a Mars-crosser, as its aphelion is smaller than the orbit of the Red Planet at 1.66 AU.[2]

This asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.97–1.59 AU once every 17 months (531 days; semi-major axis of 1.28 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.24 and an inclination of 0° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with a precovery found in ESO's Astrovirtel data archive (I03), in August 2000, less than 5 months prior to its official discovery observation at Socorro.[1]

Close approaches

2001 AV₄₃ has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0017 AU (254,000 km), which translates into 0.7 lunar distances (LD). Due to its small size, that is, an absolute magnitude fainter than 22, this asteroid is not classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid.[2]

On 18 November 2013, the asteroid passed Earth at 2.7 LD. The angle of approach made it a good target for radar observations.[5]

On 11 November 2029, the orbit of 2001 AV₄₃ is predicted to bring the asteroid within a nominal distance of 0.00209 AU (313,000 km; 194,000 mi) or 0.81 LD of Earth. It will also pass the Moon at an even shorter nominal distance of 0.00166 AU (248,000 km; 154,000 mi)[2]

Physical characteristics

2001 AV₄₃ is an assumed stony S-type asteroid.[3]

Rotation period

A rotational lightcurve of 2001 AV₄₃ was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomers Robert J. Whiteley, Carl Hergenrother and David Tholen. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 0.1701 hours (612 second) with a brightness amplitude of 0.26 magnitude (U=2).[3][4] With such a short period, it is a notable fast rotator. The observers classified it as a "monolithic fast-rotating asteroid" (MFRA).[4]

Diameter and albedo

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and derives a diameter of 0.03 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 24.9.[3]

Numbering and naming

As of 2018, this minor planet has neither been numbered nor named.[1]

References

External links

• Table of Asteroids Next Closest Approaches to the Earth, Sormano Astronomical Observatory
• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
• Forthcoming Close Approaches To The Earth – Minor Planet Center
• 2001 AV43 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Obs prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Obs info · Close · Physical info · NEOCC
• 2001 AV43 at ESA–space situational awareness
  • Ephemerides · Observations · Orbit · Physical Properties · Summary
• 2001 AV43 at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters

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