65803 Didymos

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Didymos
Discovery and designation
Discovered by Spacewatch
Discovery site Kitt Peak
Discovery date April 11, 1996
Designations
MPC designation 65803
Alternative names 1996 GT
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch JD 2456200.5 (30 September 2012)
Aphelion 2.275 AU
Perihelion 1.013 AU
Semi-major axis 1.644 AU
Eccentricity 0.384
Orbital period 2.108 yr (770.1 d)
Mean anomaly 82.933°
Inclination 3.408°
Longitude of ascending node 73.239°
Argument of perihelion 319.236°
Known satellites 1
Physical characteristics
Dimensions ~800 m (primary)
~150 m (secondary)
Mean density 1.7±0.4 g/cm3
Sidereal rotation period 2.259 h[1]
Spectral type Xk (SMASSII)[1]
Absolute magnitude (H) 18.0[1]

    65803 Didymos (1996 GT) is an Apollo asteroid discovered on April 11, 1996 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak. It has a satellite orbiting it with a period of 11.9 hours, hence the appellation "Didymos", meaning "twin". The primary asteroid is about 800 m in diameter, the satellite is about 150 m in diameter in an orbit about 1.1 km from the primary. The rotation rate of Didymos is fast, 2.26 hours. Its density is 1.7±0.4 g/cm3. Didymos is the most easily reachable asteroid of its size from Earth, requiring a delta-v of only 5.1 km/s[2] for a spacecraft to rendezvous compared to 6.0 km/s to reach the Moon.

    Its approach to Earth in November 2003 was especially close with a distance of 7.18 million km; it will not come that near until November 2123, with a distance of 5.9 million km. Didymos also passes very close to Mars: 4.69 million km in 2144.

    Didymos is the target of the European Space Agency's proposed AIDA probe.

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 JPL Small-Body Database Browser on 65803 Didymos
    2. ↑ "Delta-v for spacecraft rendezvous with all known near-Earth asteroids". 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-07. 

    External links

    • (65802) 1996 BA3
    • 65803 Didymos
    • (65804) 1996 HT6
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