astro.wikisort.org - Asteroid

2014 EC is a 10-meter sized, eccentric asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group that passed within 48,000 miles (77,000 km) of Earth in early March 2014. This was six times closer to the Earth than the Moon.[4][5] It was first observed on 5 March 2014, by the Catalina Sky Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, United States. As of 2017, it has not since been observed.[2]

2014 EC

Discovery[1][2]
Discovered by	Catalina Sky Srvy.
Discovery site	Mount Lemmon Obs.
Discovery date	5 March 2014
Designations
MPC designation	2014 EC
Minor planet category	NEO · Apollo[1][2]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 6
Observation arc	(1 day)
Aphelion	2.2257 AU
Perihelion	0.6917 AU
Semi-major axis	1.4587 AU
Eccentricity	0.5258
Orbital period (sidereal)	1.76 yr (644 days)
Mean anomaly	325.66°
Mean motion	0° 33m 33.84s / day
Inclination	1.4023°
Longitude of ascending node	344.98°
Argument of perihelion	264.04°
Earth MOID	0.0005 AU · 0.2 LD
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	7 m (estimate at 0.20)[3] 10 m[4]
Absolute magnitude (H)	28.2[1]

Description

2014 EC has only been observed on two nights for a period of less than 48 hours, with a remaining orbital uncertainty of 4 and 6 respectively.[1][2] It orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.7–2.2 AU once every 21 months (644 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.53 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The asteroid has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0005 AU (74,800 km) which translates into less than 0.2 lunar distances.[1]

Based on a generic magnitude-to diameter conversion, 2014 EC measures 7 meters in diameter, for a measured absolute magnitude of 28.2 and an assumed albedo of 0.2, which is typical value for stony S-type asteroids.[3] Other sources estimated the body to be approximately 10 meters or 30 feet across.[4] It is too small for being a potentially hazardous asteroid, which require an absolute magnitude of 22.0 or less.[6]

See also

• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2014

References

External links

• Small Asteroid Will Pass Earth Safely on Thursday (NASA)
• http://www.space.com/24968-small-asteroid-2014ec-earth-close-shave.html
• 2014 EC at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Obs prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Obs info · Close · Physical info · NEOCC
• 2014 EC at ESA–space situational awareness
  • Ephemerides · Observations · Orbit · Physical Properties · Summary
• 2014 EC at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters

---