2007 TU24

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2007 TU24
Radar image of 2007 TU24.
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
Discovery and designation
Discovered by Catalina Sky Survey
Discovery date October 11, 2007
Designations
Minor planet
category		 Apollo asteroid,
Earth-crosser asteroid
Epoch February 4, 2008
Aphelion 3.140 AU
Perihelion 0.948 AU
Semi-major axis 2.044 AU
Eccentricity 0.536
Orbital period 2.92 a
Mean anomaly 9.045°
Inclination 5.628°
Longitude of ascending node 127.095°
Argument of perihelion 334.165°
Dimensions ~250 meters[1]
Mass <2.4×1010 kg[2]
Mean density unknown
Equatorial escape velocity <0.58 km/hr[2]
Rotation period roughly once per day[3]
Geometric albedo 0.24
Surface temp.
   Kelvin
min mean max
unknown
Absolute magnitude 20.2 [4]

Asteroid 2007 TU24 was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona on October 11, 2007. Imaging radar has estimated that this asteroid is 250 meters (820 ft) in diameter.[1] This object's 554,209 kilometer (344,370 mile or 1.4-lunar distance)[5] approach on January 29, 2008 at 08:33 UTC was the closest for any known potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) of this size until 2027.[6] At closest approach the asteroid had an apparent magnitude of 10.3 and was about 50 times fainter than what the naked eye can see. It required about a 3 inch telescope to be seen.[1]

Contents

[edit] Impact risk assessment

From the date of discovery of asteroid 2007 TU24 on 11 October 2007, a total of 315 observations of this asteroid were made by 31 January 2008, spanning 112 days.[4] The trajectory of this asteroid is well defined. It was removed from the 'current impact risks' page of the NASA website on 4 December 2007 at 14:05 UTC.[7][8][9]

[edit] Further updates

A series of low-resolution radar images of asteroid 2007 TU24
A series of low-resolution radar images of asteroid 2007 TU24

Goldstone Observatory carried out radar observations of this asteroid on January 23 and January 24, 2008. As of January 24, the orbit of this asteroid was known with such a high precision that scientists were able to calculate close approaches of this asteroid from the year 67 AD to 2141 AD.[3] This simulation showed that on January 29, 2008 at 08:33 UTC, the asteroid 2007 TU24 would fly by the earth at distance 554,110 km (0.003704 AU) with a relative speed of 9.248 km/s.[3]

Observations from Arecibo Observatory were taken on February 1-4.[1]

Animation of two photos taken from Slooh Teide observatory on Jan 31, 2008
Animation of two photos taken from Slooh Teide observatory on Jan 31, 2008

[edit] Other close approaches

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d NASA Scientists Get First Images of Earth Flyby Asteroid. NASA/JPL (2008-01-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-26.
  2. ^ a b radius of 0.125 km; volume of a sphere * maximum likely density of 3g/cm³ (though it could be a loose rubble pile) yields an improbable mass of 2.45e10 kg and an improbable escape velocity of 0.58 km/hr.
  3. ^ a b c 2007 TU24planning.html
  4. ^ a b JPL Small-Body Database Browser
  5. ^ Asteroid Zooms by Earth. NASA/JPL (2008-01-29). Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  6. ^ Near-Earth Asteroid 2007 TU24 to Pass Close to Earth on Jan. 29 - Should be Observable with Modest Sized Telescopes
  7. ^ NEOs Removed from Impact Risks Tables
  8. ^ Current Impact Risks
  9. ^ Impact Risk Assessment: An Introduction

[edit] External links

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