2012 LZ1

2012 LZ1
Discovery[1]
Discovered by Robert H. McNaught, Siding Spring Survey (E12)
0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt
Discovery date 10 June 2012
Designations
MPC designation 2012 LZ1
Amor
NEO[2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Aphelion 4.0667 AU (608.37 Gm) (Q)
Perihelion 1.0492 AU (156.96 Gm) (q)
2.5579 AU (382.66 Gm) (a)
Eccentricity 0.58984 (e)
4.09 yr (1494.3 d)
312.53° (M)
0° 14m 27.312s /day (n)
Inclination 26.102° (i)
264.53° (Ω)
14.241° (ω)
Earth MOID 0.043164 AU (6.4572 Gm)
Jupiter MOID 1.1348 AU (169.76 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions ~1 km[3]
12.87 h (0.536 d)
10 - 15 hr[3]
0.02 - 0.04[3]
19.9[2]

    2012 LZ1 is an Amor near-Earth asteroid about 1 km (0.62 mi) in diameter that passed within 5.4 million kilometers (14 lunar distances) of Earth on June 14, 2012.[4] It was discovered during the night of June 10–11, 2012 by astronomer Robert H. McNaught and his colleagues at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia, just four days before its closest approach to Earth.[5][6] Because of 2012 LZ1's size and proximity it is classified as a "potentially hazardous" near-Earth asteroid.[4]

    Overview

    Arecibo radar observations on June 19, 2012 have shown that 2012 LZ1 is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) in diameter and that 2012 LZ1 has zero chance of impacting the Earth for at least the next 750 years.[3]

    A small change of trajectory caused by Earth's gravity was predicted from the 2012 passby.[7] The Slooh Space Camera streamed live footage of the passby over the Internet.[6] McNaught and Astronomy magazine columnist Bob Berman hosted the broadcast.[5] "We love it when stuff like this happens, because it's fun to do and the public appreciates it," said Slooh president Patrick Paolucci.[7] The asteroid was the same brightness as a 13th-magnitude star, too faint to be seen by the naked eye or a low-end telescope.[5][7]

    The next passby for 2012 LZ1 will be July 27, 2016 at 0.5 AU (75,000,000 km; 46,000,000 mi) from Earth.[7][8]

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "MPEC 2012-L30 : 2012 LZ1". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2012-06-26. (K12L01Z)
    2. 1 2 3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2012 LZ1)" (2012-06-25 last obs). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
    3. 1 2 3 4 Stacy Bowles (June 21, 2012). "Arecibo Observatory Finds Asteroid 2012 LZ1 To Be Twice As Big As First Believed". Universities Space Research Association. Retrieved 2012-06-21.
    4. 1 2 "Humongous asteroid to hurtle past Earth Thursday". Christian Science Monitor. 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
    5. 1 2 3 "Huge Asteroid to Fly by Earth Thursday: How to Watch Online". Space.com. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
    6. 1 2 Wall, Mike (2012-05-20). "Huge asteroid to fly by Earth Thursday - Technology & science - Space - Space.com - msnbc.com". MSNBC. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
    7. 1 2 3 4 Ker Than (2012-06-14). "Large Asteroid to Buzz Earth Tonight—Watch It Live". National Geographic. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
    8. ↑ "2012 LZ1 Ephemerides for July 2016". NEODyS (Near Earth Objects - Dynamic Site). Retrieved 2012-06-15.

    External links

    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/26/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.