Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | R. H. McNaught |
Discovery site | Siding Spring Obs. |
Discovery date | 24 March 1996 |
Designations | |
(175706) 1996 FG3 | |
1996 FG3 | |
Apollo · NEO · PHA [1] [2] | |
Orbital characteristics [2] | |
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 17.96 yr (6,560 d) |
Aphelion | 1.4224 AU |
Perihelion | 0.6853 AU |
1.0538 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.3497 |
1.08 yr (395 d) | |
11.261° | |
0° 54m 39.6s / day | |
Inclination | 1.9911° |
299.69° | |
24.052° | |
Known satellites | 1 [3] [4] (diameter: 0.49±0.08 km) [5] (orbital period: 16.1508 h) [6] |
Earth MOID | 0.0283 AU (11 LD) |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 1.196±0.362 km [7] 1.55 km [8] 1.64±0.20 km [6] 1.69±0.18 km [9] 1.84±0.56 km [10] 1.90±0.28 km [11] |
3.5942 h [8] [9] [12] | |
0.03±0.03 [13] 0.039±0.012 [11] 0.042±0.035 [10] 0.046±0.014 [9] 0.058 [8] 0.072±0.039 [7] | |
SMASS = C [2] B [11] [14] C/Ch [15] B–V = 0.708±0.005 [8] V–R = 0.380±0.003 [8] V–I = 0.714±0.004 [8] | |
17.76 [7] [8] [10] [11] [14] [16] 17.833±0.024 [9] 18.4 [1] [2] | |
(175706) 1996 FG3 is a carbonaceous asteroid and binary system, [4] classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 1.7 kilometers (1.1 miles) in diameter. The primary has a spheroidal shape. Its minor-planet moon measures approximately 490 meters (1,600 feet) in diameter.
It was discovered on 24 March 1996, by Australian astronomer Robert McNaught at Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia. [1] The asteroid was a target of NASA's Janus Serenity space probe, [17] until the delay of the rocket launch made the target inaccessible. [18] In 2017, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Purple Mountain Observatory revealed a plan to land a probe on this asteroid in 2029, as part of an asteroid exploration mission. [19]
This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 21 February 2008. [20] As of 2021, it has not been named. [1]
1996 FG3 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.7–1.4 AU once every 1 years and 1 month (395 days; semi-major axis of 1.05 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.35 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic. [2] It has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0283 AU (4,230,000 km), which corresponds to 11.0 lunar distances. [2] In 2019 a precovery observation from Palomar Mountain was found, extending the body's observation arc into 1985. [1]
The carbonaceous body is characterized as a rare B-type and hydrated C-type (Ch) asteroid, respectively. [11] [15]
Several rotational lightcurves of this asteroid were obtained from photometric observations taken by astronomers Petr Pravec, Petr Scheirich and Stefano Mottola, as well as by the Very Large Telescope 's VISR instrument. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of 3.594 to 3.595 hours with a brightness variation of 0.08 to 0.10 magnitude ( U=3/3/3/3 ). [6] [8] [9] [12] [21] The asteroid is an oblate ellipsoid with a nearly spherical shape. [6] [22]
According to numerous observations, including the EXPLORENEOs survey, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission and the Spitzer Space Telescope, the asteroid measures between 1.55 and 1.90 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a low albedo of 0.03 to 0.05. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link adopts an albedo of 0.04 and a diameter of 1.90 kilometers. [14]
During the photometric observations in December 1998, the binary nature of this asteroid was revealed. [3] [4] It was the first binary near-Earth asteroid for which eclipse events were detected in the visible spectrum. [11] The binary system has a diameter ratio of 0.28, a density of 1.4 g/cm3, and an ecliptic latitude of -84° for its mutual spin axis. [11] The asteroid moon is known by its provisional designation S/1998 (175706) 1. It has a diameter of approximately 490 meters, [5] an orbital period of 16.1508 hours, and a nearly circular orbit, with an eccentricity of 0.1 and a semi-major axis of approximately 3.4 primary radii. [11] : 2 The orbital period was later estimated to be around 16.15 hours.
Due to its binary nature and its low delta-v heliocentric orbit (also see Hohmann transfer orbit), [11] this asteroid was selected for MarcoPolo-R, which was the Marco Polo spacecraft 's first proposed mission. MarcoPolo-R was originally selected for the assessment study phase in the M3 slot of ESA's Cosmic Vision program, but rejected in favor of PLATO by the end of 2012. [6] [22]
The asteroid was a planned target of NASA's Janus Serenity space probe, which was scheduled to launch in 2022 alongside NASA's Psyche spacecraft, and to arrive at 1996 FG3 in 2026. [17] 1996 FG3 became impossible to reach for Janus when the launch of Psyche was delayed. [18]
In 2017, Chinese scientists announced they plan to land a probe on 1996 FG3 after 2029 as part of its asteroid exploration mission. [19] The mission includes plans for fly-by of three asteroids (one of them is 99942 Apophis), and land on 1996 FG3 to conduct in situ sampling analysis on the surface, according to Ji Jianghui, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a member of the expert committee for scientific goal argumentation of deep space exploration in China. The probe is also expected to conduct a fly-by of a third asteroid to be determined at a later time. The entire mission is expected to take about six years. [19]
2063 Bacchus, provisional designation 1977 HB, is a stony asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 1 kilometer in diameter. The contact binary was discovered on 24 April 1977, by American astronomer Charles Kowal at the Palomar Observatory in California, United States. It was named after Bacchus from Roman mythology.
2006 Polonskaya (provisional designation: 1973 SB3) is a stony Flora asteroid and asynchronous binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 22 September 1973, by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, on the Crimean peninsula, and later named after Ukrainian astronomer Elena Kazimirtchak-Polonskaïa. Its one-kilometer-sized satellite was discovered by an international collaboration of astronomers in November 2005.
3309 Brorfelde, provisional designation 1982 BH, is a nearly spheroidal, binary Hungaria asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 4 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 28 January 1982, by Danish astronomers Kaare Jensen and Karl Augustesen at the Brorfelde Observatory near Holbæk, Denmark. It was named for the discovering observatory and the village where it is located.
(185851) 2000 DP107 is a sub-kilometer sized asteroid, classified as potentially hazardous asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group that is notable because it provided evidence for binary asteroids in the near-Earth population. The PROCYON probe developed by JAXA and the University of Tokyo was intended to flyby this asteroid before its ion thruster failed and could not be restarted.
6084 Bascom, provisional designation 1985 CT, is a binary Phocaea asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6.3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 12 February 1985, by American astronomer couple Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory in California. It is named after American geologist Florence Bascom. Its satellite measures approximately 2.3 kilometers and has an orbital period of 43.51 hours.
4029 Bridges, provisional designation 1982 KC1, is a stony asteroid and binary system from the middle regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers in diameter.
65803 Didymos is a sub-kilometer asteroid and binary system that is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group. The asteroid was discovered in 1996 by the Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak, and its small 160-meter minor-planet moon, named Dimorphos, was discovered in 2003. Due to its binary nature, the asteroid was then named Didymos, the Greek word for 'twin'.
1338 Duponta, provisional designation 1934 XA, is a stony Florian asteroid and synchronous binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7.8 kilometers in diameter.
1453 Fennia, provisional designation 1938 ED1, is a stony Hungaria asteroid and synchronous binary system from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by Yrjö Väisälä at the Turku Observatory in 1938, the asteroid was later named after the Nordic country of Finland. The system's minor-planet moon was discovered in 2007. It has a derived diameter of 1.95 kilometers and is orbiting its primary every 23.55 hours.
5143 Heracles, provisional designation 1991 VL, is a highly eccentric, rare-type asteroid and synchronous binary system, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 4.8 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered on 7 November 1991, by American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. It is named for the Greek divine hero Heracles. It has an Earth minimum orbit intersection distance of 0.058 AU (8.7 million km) and is associated with the Beta Taurids daytime meteor shower.
7088 Ishtar, provisional designation 1992 AA, is a synchronous binary asteroid and near-Earth object from the Amor group, approximately 1.3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 January 1992, by American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California. The relatively bright asteroid with an unknown spectral type has a rotation period of 2.7 hours. In December 2005, a 330-meter sized satellite was discovered, orbiting its primary every 20.65 hours.
5905 Johnson, provisional designation 1989 CJ1, is a Hungaria asteroid and synchronous binary system from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 11 February 1989, by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. Its satellite measures approximately 1.6 km (1 mi) in diameter and orbits its primary every 21.8 hours. It was named after American astronomer and engineer Lindley N. Johnson.
(5407) 1992 AX, provisional designation 1992 AX, is a stony asteroid and a synchronous binary Mars-crosser from the innermost region of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.6 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 4 January 1992, by Japanese astronomers Seiji Ueda and Hiroshi Kaneda at the Kushiro Observatory on Hokkaidō, Japan. The S-type asteroid has a short rotation period of 2.5 hours. Its sub-kilometer satellite was discovered in 1997. As of 2018, the binary system has not been named.
5477 Holmes, provisional designation 1989 UH2, is a Hungaria asteroid and binary system from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 27 October 1989, by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at the Palomar Observatory in California. The presumed E-type asteroid is likely spherical in shape and has a short rotation period of 2.99 hours. It was named for American amateur astronomer Robert Holmes. The discovery of its 1-kilometer-sized minor-planet moon was announced in November 2005.
(5645) 1990 SP is an eccentric and tumbling asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 1.7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 20 September 1990, by Scottish–Australian astronomer Robert McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory in Canberra, Australia. Scientists have said that it has a '1 in 364 billion chance' of colliding with the Earth.
10208 Germanicus, provisional designation 1997 QN1, is a stony Florian asteroid and binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.5 kilometers in diameter.
(35107) 1991 VH is a binary near-Earth asteroid and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group. It was discovered on 9 November 1991, by Australian astronomer Robert McNaught at Siding Spring Observatory. This binary system is composed of a roughly-spheroidal primary body about one kilometre in diameter, and an elongated natural satellite less than half a kilometre in diameter. The 1991 VH system is unusual for its dynamically excited state; the satellite has a tumbling, non-synchronous rotation that chaotically exchanges energy and angular momentum with its precessing, eccentric orbit. This asteroid system was one of the two targets of NASA's upcoming Janus Mayhem mission, until the delay of the rocket launch made both targets inaccessible.
(31345) 1998 PG is an eccentric, stony asteroid and binary system, classified as near-Earth object of the Amor group of asteroids, approximately 900 meters in diameter. It minor-planet moon, S/2001 (31345) 1, has an estimated diameter of 270 meters.
(66063) 1998 RO1 is a stony near-Earth object of the Aten group on a highly-eccentric orbit. The synchronous binary system measures approximately 800 meters (0.50 miles) in diameter. It was discovered by astronomers of the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, on 14 September 1998.
(164121) 2003 YT1, provisional designation 2003 YT1, is a bright asteroid and synchronous binary system on a highly eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 18 December 2003, by astronomers with the Catalina Sky Survey at the Catalina Station near Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. The V-type asteroid has a short rotation period of 2.3 hours. Its 210-meter sized minor-planet moon was discovered at Arecibo Observatory in May 2004.