2014 RC

2014 RC
Discovery[1][2] and designation
Discovered by Catalina Sky Survey (703)
Pan-STARRS (F51)
Discovery date 1-2 September 2014
Apollo asteroid, Near-Earth object
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 9 December 2014
Observation arc 18 days w/Radar
Aphelion 1.803973 AU
Perihelion 0.8206580 AU
1.312315 AU
Eccentricity 0.3746487
1.5044 years
(549.1 days)[3]
25.64394°
Inclination 4.57387°
345.006581°
71.19069°
Earth MOID 0.000034 AU (5,100 km; 3,200 mi)
(0.013 LD)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 22 m (72 ft) (largest axis)[4]
12–25 m (39–82 ft)[5]
Mean density
 >2.5 (assumed based on rotation/spectra)
15.8 seconds[4]
Sq-class[4]
11-41
28 (Nov/Dec 2014)
26.8[3]

    2014 RC is a small near-earth asteroid that made a close approach to Earth of 0.000267 AU (39,900 km; 24,800 mi) (0.1 lunar distances) around 18:02 UTC on 7 September 2014.[3][6][7] It is the fastest rotating asteroid so far discovered. The asteroid briefly brightened to about apparent magnitude 11.5,[8] so it was not visible to the naked eye or common binoculars. At the peak brightness the asteroid had a declination of –47,[8] and was most easily visible over New Zealand. The asteroid is approximately the diameter of the Chelyabinsk meteor,[4] and passed almost as close to Earth as 367943 Duende (2012 DA14) did in 2013. During 2014, asteroids 2014 AA and 2014 LY21 have come closer to Earth. 2014 RC was removed from the JPL Sentry Risk Table on 5 September 2014 and there are no known possible impact dates in the next 100 years.[9] On 8 September 2115 the asteroid will pass about 0.0053 AU (790,000 km; 490,000 mi) from the moon.[3] On 5 September 1973, the asteroid passed between 0.01052 AU (1,574,000 km; 978,000 mi) and 0.01207 AU (1,806,000 km; 1,122,000 mi) from Earth.[3]

    Asteroid 2014 RC[7]
    Path around the Sun - 3 September 2014.
    Path near the Earth - 7 September 2014.

    Orbital shift

    During the 2014 Earth close approach the orbital period of 2014 RC was reduced from 600 days to 549 days.[10] The orbital eccentricity decreased while the orbital inclination increased.

    Parameter Epoch Aphelion
    (Q)    		 Perihelion
    (q)    		 Semi-major axis
    (a)    		 Eccentricity
    (e)    		 Period
    (p)    		 Inclination
    (i)    		 Longitude ascending node
    (Ω)    		 Mean anomaly
    (M)    		 Argument of perihelion
    (ω)
    Units AU (days) (°)
    Pre-flyby 2014-Sep-01 1.9488 0.8344 1.3916 0.4004 599.62 1.4395° 345.48° 326.12° 65.879°
    flyby 2014-Sep-07 18:02 UTC 2.0284 0.8150 1.4217 0.4267 619.17 1.4217° 345.09° 330.91° 68.602°
    Post-flyby 2014-Oct-01 1.8042 0.8207 1.3124 0.3747 549.18 4.5744° 345.01° 340.41° 71.187°

    Physical characteristics

    With an absolute magnitude of 26.8,[3] the asteroid is about 11–25 meters (36–82 ft) in diameter depending on the albedo.[5] Observations by the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility conclude the asteroid is a fairly bright Sq-class asteroid which have an average albedo of around 0.24, and would give the asteroid a spherical equivalent diameter of 12 meters (39 ft).[4] Measurements by multiple telescopes indicate that the asteroid rotates in 15.8 seconds making it the fastest rotating asteroid so far discovered.[4] Using the 15.8 second rotation period, more accurate radar observations by Goldstone shows the asteroid has a largest axis of at least 22 meters (72 ft).[4] Due to the asteroid's fast rotation, it is a monolith and not a rubble pile.

    The Managua explosion on 6 September 2014 may or may not have been created by a bolide that was missed by millions of people, but either way it was not caused by the close approach of 2014 RC.[4]

    Close-approach table

    Object Date Date error (hours) nominal distance (AU) nominal distance (LD) minimum distance (AU) minimum distance (LD) apparent magnitude (V)
    Earth 1945/09/06 05:53 47.16 0.00442 1.72 0.00101 0.39 17.3
    Moon 1945/09/06 14:33 52.48 0.00508 1.98 0.00103 0.40 -
    Mars 1957/10/09 13:55 5.40 0.06371 24.78 0.05267 20.49 -
    Earth 1973/09/05 21:42 0.62 0.01169 4.55 0.01089 4.24 19.3
    Earth 1987/01/17 01:02 0.30 0.03724 14.49 0.03686 14.34 22.4
    Earth 1991/09/27 05:38 1.03 0.09911 38.55 0.09878 38.43 27.0
    Mars 1999/09/22 14:00 <0.01 0.03739 14.54 0.03712 14.44 -
    Earth 2009/12/30 13:10 0.28 0.08634 33.59 0.08622 33.54 26.0
    Moon 2014/09/07 08:47 <0.01 0.000845 0.329 0.000845 0.329 -
    Earth 2014/09/07 18:02 <0.01 0.000267 0.104 0.000267 0.104 15.9
    Earth 2017/09/11 13:50 0.15 0.03864 15.03 0.03850 14.98 23.3
    Earth 2020/09/22 21:24 0.35 0.09908 38.54 0.09893 38.48 26.1
    Earth 2039/01/21 23:38 0.13 0.06224 24.21 0.06215 24.18 24.0
    Earth 2042/01/27 18:19 0.10 0.06322 24.59 0.06313 24.56 23.6
    Earth 2109/09/01 16:27 0.07 0.09959 38.74 0.09945 38.69 24.7
    Earth 2112/09/06 21:13 0.08 0.02253 8.76 0.02241 8.72 21.1
    Moon 2115/09/08 19:11 0.15 0.00558 2.17 0.005350 2.08 -
    Earth 2115/09/08 22:50 0.17 0.00785 3.05 0.00763 2.97 18.5
    Mars 2140/10/13 22:42 2.85 0.07152 27.82 0.05471 21.28 -
    Earth 2159/02/02 22:17 16.90 0.08084 31.45 0.05563 21.64 24.2
    Earth 2162/01/19 14:04 38.85 0.09376 36.47 0.07273 28.29 25.2
    Earth 2170/09/19 02:08 9.12 0.07413 28.84 0.06707 26.09 25.1
    Earth 2173/09/04 16:52 1.38 0.06123 23.82 0.05950 23.15 23.5

    References

    1. ↑ "MPEC 2014-R23 : 2014 RC". IAU Minor Planet Center. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014. (K14R00C)
    2. ↑ "MPEC 2014-R26 : 2014 RC". IAU Minor Planet Center. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2014 RC)" (last observation: 7 September 2014; arc: 18 days).
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 "Reports of Meteorite Strike in Nicaragua and Update on Asteroid 2014 RC". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "JPL - Absolute Magnitude". NASA. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
    6. ↑ "NASA reports asteroid to pass close, but safely past Earth.". clarksvilleonline.com. Clarksville Online. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Agle, DC; Brown, Dwayne (3 September 2014). "Small Asteroid to Safely Pass Close to Earth Sunday". NASA. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "2014RC Ephemerides for 7 September 2014". NEODyS (Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site). Retrieved 5 September 2014.
    9. ↑ "Date/Time Removed". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
    10. ↑ Horizons output. "Horizon Online Ephemeris System". Retrieved 7 September 2014. ("Ephemeris Type: Elements" PR value)

    External links