2022 QX4 is a Tunguska event-sized asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Aten group, approximately 40 meters (130 feet) in diameter.[2] It was discovered by ATLAS on 24 August 2022,[1] when it was 0.03 AU (4.5 million km) from Earth. On 4 September 2022 with an observation arc of 8 days, it was listed with a 1-in-109 chance of impacting Earth with a Torino scale of 1 for a virtual impactor on 4 September 2068 00:52 UTC.[2] Five precovery images from August 2013 were published on 11 September 2022[4] extending the observation arc to 9 years and 2022 QX4 was removed from the Sentry Risk Table. The nominal approach is expected to occur 26 August 2068.[5]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | ATLAS (W68) |
| Discovery date | 24 August 2022 |
| Designations | |
MPC designation | 2022 QX4 |
Minor planet category |
|
| Orbital characteristics[3] | |
| Epoch 2022-Aug-09 (JD 2459800.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 2 | |
| Observation arc | 9 years |
| Earliest precovery date | 16 August 2013 |
| Aphelion | 1.025 AU (Q) |
| Perihelion | 0.33713 AU (q) |
Semi-major axis | 0.6809 AU (a) |
| Eccentricity | 0.50481 (e) |
Orbital period (sidereal) | 0.562 years |
Mean anomaly | 154.3° (M) |
| Inclination | 0.14800° (i) |
Longitude of ascending node | 335.6° (Ω) |
Time of perihelion | 13 May 2022 |
Argument of perihelion | 176.2° (ω) |
| Earth MOID | 0.00027 AU (40 thousand km; 0.11 LD) |
| Jupiter MOID | 3.97 AU (594 million km) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions |
|
Absolute magnitude (H) | 24.7[1] |
Closest approach to Earth in 2022 occurred on 29 August 2022 at a distance of about 1.8 million km.[3] The asteroid passed about 130000 km from Earth on 5 September 1977.[3]
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