(308242) 2005 GO21

(308242) 2005 GO21

Goldstone radar image of asteroid 2005 GO21
taken 17 June 2012.
Discovery[1]
Discovered by Siding Spring Survey (E12)
0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt
Discovery date 2005 April 1
Designations
MPC designation (308242) 2005 GO21
Aten NEO,
PHA[2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 2012-Mar-14
(Uncertainty=0)[2]
Aphelion 1.0095 AU (Q)
Perihelion 0.49716 AU (q)
0.75333 AU (a)
Eccentricity 0.34005
0.65 yr
69.001° (M)
Inclination 24.915°
272.71°
156.57°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions ~1.6 km[3]
11 hr[3]
16.4[2]

    (308242) 2005 GO21 is a large near-Earth asteroid and potentially hazardous object.[2] It has a well determined orbit with an observation arc of 7 years and an uncertainty parameter of 0.[2] It was discovered on 1 April 2005 by the Siding Spring Survey at an apparent magnitude of 18.1 using the 0.5-metre (20 in) Uppsala Southern Schmidt Telescope.[1]

    Based on an absolute magnitude of 16.4,[2] the asteroid has an estimated diameter of 1.6 km (within a factor of two).[3] 2005 GO21 is the largest potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) discovered in 2005.[4] On 21 June 2012 it passed Earth at a distance of 0.043963 AU (6,576,800 km; 4,086,600 mi).[5] The 2012 passage was studied with radar using Goldstone and Arecibo.[3]

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "MPEC 2005-G31 : 2005 GO21". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2005-04-05. Retrieved 2012-06-18. (K05G21O)
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 308242 (2005 GO21)" (last observation: 2012-06-17; arc: 7.21 years). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Dr. Lance A. M. Benner (2012-06-18). "(308242) 2005 GO21 Goldstone Radar Observations Planning". NASA/JPL Asteroid Radar Research. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
    4. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: PHAs and H < 17 (mag)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
    5. ↑ "JPL Close-Approach Data: 308242 (2005 GO21)" (last observation: 2012-06-17; arc: 7.21 years). Retrieved 2012-06-18.

    External links