(33342) 1998 WT24

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(33342) 1998 WT24
33342 1998 WT24.jpg
Tracks of asteroid 1998 WT24
Discovery [1]
Discovered by LINEAR
Discovery site Lincoln Lab's ETS
Discovery date25 November 1998
Designations
(33342) 1998 WT24
1998 WT24
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 28 June 2009 (JD  2455010.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 18.98 yr (6,933 days)
Aphelion 1.0187  AU
Perihelion 0.4182 AU
0.7185 AU
Eccentricity 0.4179
0.61  yr (222 days)
344.05°
1° 37m 6.24s / day
Inclination 7.3419°
82.000°
167.30°
Earth  MOID 0.0097 AU (3.8  LD)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
  • 0.35±0.04 km [3]
  • 0.410 km (taken) [4]
  • 0.415±0.040 km [5]

    (33342) 1998 WT24 is a bright, sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) of the Aten group, located in Venus's zone of influence that has frequent close encounters with Mercury, Venus, and Earth. [1] It made a close approach to Earth on 11 December 2015, passing at a distance of about 4.2 million kilometers (2.6 million miles, 11 lunar distances) [10] and reaching about apparent magnitude 11. [11]

    Contents

    The asteroid was discovered on 25 November 1998 by LINEAR about four months after a close encounter with the planet Mercury (about 0.047  AU). [1] It measures approximately 400 meters in diameter. It is also one of the best studied PHAs and was the 10th Aten asteroid to be numbered.

    Classification and orbit

    Radar observation during 2001 encounter (33342) 1998 WT24 bistatic radar image.gif
    Radar observation during 2001 encounter

    1998 WT24 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.42–1.02  AU once every 7 months (222 days; semi-major axis of 0.72 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.42 and an inclination of 7° with respect to the ecliptic. [1]

    Low aphelion

    At the time of its discovery, astronomers were trying to find the first Apohele asteroid (one that is always closer to the Sun than Earth). All asteroids known at the time that got closer to the Sun than Earth also crossed Earth's orbit. Earlier that year, David J. Tholen claimed to have spotted the first Apohele asteroid, which was dubbed 1998 DK36 . However, the object was lost without being confirmed. Thus, 1993 DA remained the asteroid with the lowest known aphelion at 1.023 AU. When 1998 WT24 was discovered, it was found to have a slightly smaller aphelion (1.019 AU) than 1993 DA, and was thus the closest thing to an Apohele asteroid known at the time. It lost its smallest aphelion title almost immediately when (415713) 1998 XX2 was discovered only a few weeks later (aphelion = 1.014 AU). Asteroids with even smaller aphelions were discovered until February 2003, when finally, an asteroid with an aphelion smaller than 1.000 AU was discovered. This was 163693 Atira, the first confirmed Apohele asteroid.

    Venus zone of influence

    1998 WT24 was the second asteroid discovered to be close enough to Venus as to be within the major planet's zone of influence. It is located at about the inner edge of the zone, while (99907) 1989 VA, the first asteroid discovered there, is at about the outer edge. It is possible for planets to capture asteroids located in their sphere of influences into co-orbital relationships such as Trojan and horseshoe asteroids. Because of its frequent close encounters with Mercury and Earth, however, it may prove difficult for Venus to keep 1998 WT24 in a co-orbital relationship for any length of time. Of the six objects in Venus's zone of influence, only Zoozve is currently a co-orbital.

    Record close encounter

    1998 WT24 is a potentially hazardous asteroid. That means its orbit takes it very close to Earth and if it were to collide with our planet, it would cause devastation on at least a regional scale. On 16 December 2001, [1] it became the first PHA to be observed passing within 5 Lunar Distances (the average distance between Earth and the Moon) from Earth. Other asteroids have come closer, and numerous have even come closer than the Moon, but these have all been small asteroids, incapable of causing much damage to the planet, or much concern. The 2001 encounter was the closest known approach to Earth any PHA had made since (192642) 1999 RD32 passed by on 27 August 1969. [12] However, 1999 RD32 was not discovered until September 1999 many years after its closest approach, so no one knew about 1999 RD32 in 1969.

    Notable close-approaches to Earth [1]
    DateDistance from Earth
    1908-12-160.00907  AU (1,357,000  km ; 843,000  mi )
    1956-12-160.009054 AU (1,354,500 km; 841,600 mi)
    2001-12-160.012485 AU (1,867,700 km; 1,160,600 mi)
    2099-12-180.012640 AU (1,890,900 km; 1,175,000 mi)

    In September 2004, the well known PHA 4179 Toutatis came about 4 Lunar Distances from Earth. Due to its diameter being over ten times larger (5.7 km) and its closer approach, Toutatis at its closest (mag 8.9) was about half an apparent magnitude brighter than 1998 WT24 was at its closest (mag 9.5). [12] However, Toutatis arrived during a full moon, and thus 1998 WT24's 2001 encounter is still the most easily observed flyby of an asteroid in history. It also made 1998 WT24 the first Near-Earth asteroid observed to be brighter than magnitude 10.

    History of close approaches of large near-Earth objects since 1908 (A)
    PHA DateApproach distance (lunar dist.) Abs.
    mag
    ( H )    		Diameter (C)
    (m)    		Ref (D)
    Nomi-
    nal(B)    		Mini-
    mum    		Maxi-
    mum
    (33342) 1998 WT24 1908-12-163.5423.5373.54717.9556–1795 data
    (458732) 2011 MD5 1918-09-170.9110.9090.91317.9556–1795 data
    (7482) 1994 PC1 1933-01-172.9272.9272.92816.8749–1357 data
    69230 Hermes 1937-10-301.9261.9261.92717.5668–2158 data
    69230 Hermes1942-04-261.6511.6511.65117.5668–2158 data
    (137108) 1999 AN10 1946-08-072.4322.4292.43517.9556–1795 data
    (33342) 1998 WT24 1956-12-163.5233.5233.52317.9556–1795 data
    (163243) 2002 FB3 1961-04-124.9034.9004.90616.41669–1695 data
    (192642) 1999 RD32 1969-08-273.6273.6253.63016.31161–3750 data
    (143651) 2003 QO104 1981-05-182.7612.7602.76116.01333–4306 data
    2017 CH1 1992-06-054.6913.3916.03717.9556–1795 data
    (170086) 2002 XR14 1995-06-244.2594.2594.26018.0531–1714 data
    (33342) 1998 WT24 2001-12-164.8594.8594.85917.9556–1795 data
    4179 Toutatis 2004-09-294.0314.0314.03115.32440–2450 data
    2014 JO25 2017-04-194.5734.5734.57317.8582–1879 data
    (137108) 1999 AN10 2027-08-071.0141.0101.01917.9556–1795 data
    (35396) 1997 XF11 2028-10-262.4172.4172.41816.9881–2845 data
    (154276) 2002 SY50 2071-10-303.4153.4123.41817.6714–1406 data
    (164121) 2003 YT1 2073-04-294.4094.4094.40916.21167–2267 data
    (385343) 2002 LV 2076-08-044.1844.1834.18516.61011–3266 data
    (52768) 1998 OR2 2079-04-164.6114.6114.61215.81462–4721 data
    (33342) 1998 WT24 2099-12-184.9194.9194.91917.9556–1795 data
    (85182) 1991 AQ 2130-01-274.1404.1394.14117.11100 data
    314082 Dryope 2186-07-163.7092.9964.78617.5668–2158 data
    (137126) 1999 CF9 2192-08-214.9704.9674.97318.0531–1714 data
    (290772) 2005 VC 2198-05-051.9511.7912.13417.6638–2061 data
    (A) List includes near-Earth approaches of less than 5 lunar distances (LD) of objects with H brighter than 18.
    (B) Nominal geocentric distance from the Earth's center to the object's center (Earth radius≈0.017 LD).
    (C) Diameter: estimated, theoretical mean-diameter based on H and albedo range between X and Y.
    (D) Reference: data source from the JPL SBDB, with AU converted into LD (1 AU≈390 LD)
    (E) Color codes:   unobserved at close approach  observed during close approach  upcoming approaches

    Frequent inner-planet encounters

    1998 WT24 is a Mercury-crosser asteroid, a Venus-crosser asteroid, and an Earth-crosser asteroid. Because of its relatively low inclination (7.34°), it is able to come close to each of these planets. Its orbit takes it within 0.021 AU of Mercury's orbit, 0.0368 AU of Venus's orbit, and 0.00989 AU of Earth's orbit. It makes frequent encounters with these inner planets. The last time it came close to Mercury, Venus and Earth was 2010, 1977, and 12 November 2004, respectively. [1] The most recent close approach to Earth was on 11 December 2015 at about 4.2 million kilometers (2.6 million miles, 11 lunar distances). The next visit of the asteroid to Earth's neighborhood will be on 11 November 2018, when it will make a relatively distant pass at about 20 million kilometers (12.5 million miles, 52 lunar distances). [10] These encounters perturb its orbit parameters slightly, and each pass reduces its inclination further.

    Physical characteristics

    During its close encounters in 2001 and 2015, astronomers were able to make radar images of its surface and determine physical properties that remain unknown for most asteroids. [10] According to the ExploreNEOs Warm Spitzer Exploration Science program, 1998 WT24 is a bright E-type asteroid with an exceptionally high albedo of 0.75±0.35. [9]

    Diameter and albedo

    1998 WT24 measures between 350 and 415 meters in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.34 and 0.75. [3] [5] [9] [lower-alpha 3] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link an albedo of 0.34 and takes a diameter of 410 meters based on an absolute magnitude of 18.69. [4] The asteroid is modestly elongated, approximately 420 × 330 meters.[ citation needed ]

    Rotation period

    Several rotational lightcurves of 1998 WT24 have been obtained from radiometric and photometric observations. [5] [6] [7] [8] [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] Lightcurve analysis gave a consolidated rotation period of 3.697 hours with a brightness amplitude between 0.19 and 0.65 magnitude ( U=3 ). [4] [lower-alpha 1]

    Future flyby candidate

    1998 WT24 has an orbit that not only crosses Earth's orbit, but is roughly parallel to it at its furthest. This means that during favourable years it is easy to reach from Earth. Several times this decade, it will be an easier target than Earth's own Moon. It is high on the list of possible Near-Earth Asteroid targets for future flybys, landings, mining, or orbit manipulations.

    Numbering and naming

    This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 18 August 2002. [13] As of 2018, it has not been named. [2]

    See also

    Notes

    1. 1 2 Several lightcurve plots of (33342) obtained at the Center for Solar System Studies by B. D. Warner (2015).
    2. 1 2 Pravec (2001) web. Observations from December 2001. Rotation period 3.6977±0.0023 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.28 mag. Quality Code of 3. Summary figures for (33342) at the LCDB and Pravec, P.; Wolf, M.; Sarounova, L. (2001), see Ondrejov data obtained by the NEO Photometric Program and collaborating projects
    3. 1 2 3 Robinson (2011) web: rotation period 3.698 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.26 mag. Quality Code of 3. Summary figures for (33342) at the LCDB

    Related Research Articles

    (99907) 1989 VA is a very eccentric, stony asteroid and near-Earth object, approximately 1 kilometer in diameter. It was discovered on 2 November 1989, by American astronomer couple Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker and Canadian astronomer David Levy at the Palomar Observatory on Mount Palomar, California.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">524522 Zoozve</span> Temporary quasi-satellite of Venus

    524522 Zoozve (provisional designation 2002 VE68) is a sub-kilometer sized asteroid and temporary quasi-satellite of Venus. Discovered in 2002, it was the first such object to be discovered around a major planet in the Solar System. In a frame of reference rotating with Venus, it appears to travel around it during one Venerean year, but it orbits the Sun, not Venus.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">163693 Atira</span> Asteroid

    163693 Atira (; provisional designation 2003 CP20) is a stony asteroid, dwelling in the interior of Earth's orbit. It is classified as a near-Earth object. Atira is a binary asteroid, a system of two asteroids orbiting their common barycenter. The primary component with a diameter of approximately 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) is orbited by a minor-planet moon that measures about 1 km (0.6 mi). Atira was discovered on 11 February 2003, by astronomers with the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States.

    (467336) 2002 LT38, is a sub-kilometer asteroid and suspected tumbler, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Aten group, approximately 240 meters (790 ft) in diameter. It was discovered on 12 June 2002, by astronomers of the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States.

    (242450) 2004 QY2 (prov. designation:2004 QY2) is an asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 20 August 2004 by the Siding Spring Survey at an apparent magnitude of 16.5 using the 0.5-metre (20 in) Uppsala Southern Schmidt Telescope. It is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroids known to exist.

    <span class="nowrap">(285263) 1998 QE<sub>2</sub></span> Near-Earth asteroid

    (285263) 1998 QE2, provisional designation 1998 QE2, is a dark asteroid and synchronous binary system, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Amor group, approximately 3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 19 August 1998, by astronomers of the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. Its sub-kilometer minor-planet moon was discovered by radar on 30 May 2013.

    (391211) 2006 HZ51 is a bright, sub-kilometer asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as a near-Earth object and a potentially hazardous asteroid of the Amor group. It was discovered on 27 April 2006, by astronomers of the Catalina Sky Survey conducted at Mount Lemmon Observatory, Arizona, United States. During preliminary observations, it was thought to have a small chance of impacting Earth in 2008. The asteroid measures approximately half a kilometer in diameter and has an exceptionally high albedo.

    (456938) 2007 YV56, provisional designation 2007 YV56, is a sub-kilometer asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 190–360 meters (620–1,200 ft) in diameter. It was discovered on 31 December 2007, by astronomers of the Catalina Sky Survey conducted at the Catalina Station in Arizona, United States.

    2001 AV43 is a very small, monolithic asteroid and fast rotator, classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 30 meters (98 feet) in diameter. It was first observed on 5 January 2001, by astronomers of the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. The presumed S-type asteroid has a rotation period of only 10 minutes. It has an exceptionally low MOID of 0.66 lunar distance (LD) and will approach Earth at 0.81 LD on 11 November 2029.

    (415713) 1998 XX2 is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Aten group. It was discovered 8 December 1998, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site, and was found to have frequent approaches to the Earth, Venus, and Mercury.

    (16960) 1998 QS52 (provisional designation 1998 QS52) is a stony asteroid on a highly eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 4.1 kilometers (2.5 mi) in diameter. It was discovered on 25 August 1998, by astronomers of the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. This asteroid is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroid known to exist.

    (90075) 2002 VU94 (provisional designation 2002 VU94) is an asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 2.5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 13 November 2002, by astronomers of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking program at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. It is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroids known.

    (159857) 2004 LJ1, provisional designation 2004 LJ1, is an asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 3 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered on 10 June 2004, by astronomers of the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. It is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroids known to exist.

    (85713) 1998 SS49 (provisional designation 1998 SS49) is an asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) in diameter. The asteroid was discovered on 29 September 1998, by astronomers of the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. It is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroids and has a notably low Earth-MOID of less than the distance to the Moon.

    (111253) 2001 XU10 (provisional designation 2001 XU10) is an asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 9 December 2001, by astronomers of the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. The asteroid is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroids.

    <span class="nowrap">(52768) 1998 OR<sub>2</sub></span> Asteroid

    (52768) 1998 OR2 (provisional designation 1998 OR2) is an asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Amor group, with a diameter of 2 kilometers (1.2 mi). It was discovered on 24 July 1998, by astronomers of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program at the Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii. It is one of the brightest and therefore largest potentially hazardous asteroids known to exist. With an observation arc of 35 years, the asteroid has a well-determined orbit, and its trajectory is well known through the year 2197. The asteroid's orbit is only potentially hazardous on a time scale of thousands of years.

    (85182) 1991 AQ is a stony asteroid on a highly eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 1.1 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 14 January 1991, by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at the Palomar Observatory in California. Based on its brightness variation of 0.69 magnitude, this Q-type asteroid is likely elongated. It belongs to the small group of potentially hazardous asteroids larger than one kilometer.

    (385343) 2002 LV, provisional designation 2002 LV, is a stony asteroid on a highly eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 1.5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 June 2002, by astronomers with the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. The Sr-type asteroid has a rotation period of 6.2 hours and is likely elongated.

    (154276) 2002 SY50, provisional designation 2002 SY50, is a stony asteroid on a highly eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 1.1 kilometers (0.7 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 30 September 2002, by astronomers with the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States. The K-type asteroid has a rotation period of 4.8 hours. It will make a close encounter with Earth on 30 October 2071.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 33342 (1998 WT24)" (2017-11-17 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 30 January 2018.
    2. 1 2 "(33342) 1998 WT24". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
    3. 1 2 3 4 Harris, Alan W.; Mueller, Michael; Delbó, Marco; Bus, Schelte J. (June 2007). "Physical characterization of the potentially hazardous high-albedo Asteroid (33342) 1998 WT 24 from thermal-infrared observations" (PDF). Icarus. 188 (2): 414–424. Bibcode:2007Icar..188..414H. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.12.003. S2CID   121472045.
    4. 1 2 3 4 5 "LCDB Data for (33342)". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 30 January 2018.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Busch, Michael W.; Benner, Lance A. M.; Ostro, Steven J.; Giorgini, Jon D.; Jurgens, Raymond F.; Rose, Randy; et al. (June 2008). "Physical properties of near-Earth Asteroid (33342) 1998 WT24 [ Erratum: 2008Icar..197..375B ]". Icarus. 195 (2): 614–621. Bibcode:2008Icar..195..614B. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2008.01.020.
    6. 1 2 Warner, Brian D. (April 2016). "Near-Earth Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at CS3-Palmer Divide Station: 2015 October–December". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 43 (2): 143–154. Bibcode:2016MPBu...43..143W. ISSN   1052-8091. PMC   7243997 . PMID   32455373.
    7. 1 2 Krugly, Yu. N.; Belskaya, I. N.; Chiorny, V. G.; Shevchenko, V. G.; Gaftonyuk, N. M. (November 2002). "CCD photometry of near-Earth asteroids in 2001". In: Proceedings of Asteroids. 500: 903–906. Bibcode:2002ESASP.500..903K.
    8. 1 2 Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (33342) 1998 WT24". Geneva Observatory . Retrieved 30 January 2018.
    9. 1 2 3 4 Thomas, C. A.; Trilling, D. E.; Emery, J. P.; Mueller, M.; Hora, J. L.; Benner, L. A. M.; et al. (September 2011). "ExploreNEOs. V. Average Albedo by Taxonomic Complex in the Near-Earth Asteroid Population". The Astronomical Journal. 142 (3): 12. Bibcode:2011AJ....142...85T. doi: 10.1088/0004-6256/142/3/85 .
    10. 1 2 3 "Asteroid Looks Even Better Second Time Around". NASA JPL. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
    11. ↑ "(33342) 1998WT24 Ephemerides for December 2015". NEODyS-2 (Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site). Retrieved 14 October 2015.
    12. 1 2 "Bright Asteroid". NASA Science. 14 December 2001. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
    13. ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
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