2020 PN1

Last updated
2020 PN1
Discovery
Discovered by ATLAS-HKO
Discovery site Haleakalā Observatory
Discovery date12 August 2020
Designations
Designation
2020 PN1
Orbital characteristics [2] [3] [4]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD  2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 361 days
Aphelion 1.12482093  AU
Perihelion 0.8713906 AU
0.998105754 AU
Eccentricity 0.1269557
1.00  y (364.219560  d)
32.06964°
Inclination 4.80807°
145.63610°
55.40365°
Earth  MOID 0.0248258 AU
Physical characteristics
Dimensions10–50 m [a] [5]
25.5 [2]

    2020 PN1 is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Aten group, that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth. There are dozens of known Earth horseshoe librators, some of which switch periodically between the quasi-satellite and the horseshoe co-orbital states. [6]

    Contents

    Discovery

    2020 PN1 was discovered on 12 August 2020 by L. Denneau, J. Tonry, A. Heinze, and H. Weiland observing for the ATLAS-HKO Survey. [7] As of 20 January 2021, it has been observed 41 times with an observation arc of 361 days. [2]

    Orbit and orbital evolution

    2020 PN1 is currently an Aten asteroid (Earth-crossing but with a period less than a year). Its semi-major axis (currently 0.998105754  AU) is similar to that of Earth (0.999789 AU), but it has a moderate eccentricity (0.1269557) and low orbital inclination (4.80807°). It alternates between being an Aten asteroid and being an Apollo asteroid, although its orbital evolution is not fully stable and it can be considered as a temporary co-orbital companion to the Earth. [6]

    Physical properties

    With an absolute magnitude of 25.5 mag, it has a diameter in the range 10–50 meters (for an assumed albedo range of 0.04–0.20, respectively).

    Exploration

    2020 PN1 will be explored by a Chinese mission of planetary defense including an impactor and a separate orbiter planned to launch in 2026. [8]

    See also

    Notes

    Related Research Articles

    2003 YN107 is a tiny asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Aten group moving in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with Earth. Because of that, it is in a co-orbital configuration relative to Earth.

    <span class="nowrap">(524522) 2002 VE<sub>68</sub></span> Temporary quasi-satellite of Venus

    (524522) 2002 VE68, provisional designation 2002 VE68, is a sub-kilometer sized asteroid and temporary quasi-satellite of Venus. 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 actually orbits the Sun, not Venus.

    (322756) 2001 CK32 is a sub-kilometer asteroid and near-Earth object of the Aten group. It is also a transient Venus co-orbital, and a Mercury grazer as well as an Earth crosser. It was once designated as a potentially hazardous asteroid.

    2012 XE133 is an asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Aten group that is a temporary co-orbital of Venus.

    2013 BS45 (also written 2013 BS45) is a horseshoe companion to the Earth like 3753 Cruithne. Like Cruithne, it does not orbit the Earth in the normal sense and at times it is on the other side of the Sun, yet it still periodically comes nearer to the Earth in sort of halo orbit before again drifting away. While not a traditional natural satellite, it does not quite have normal heliocentric orbit either and these are sometimes called quasi-satellties or horseshoe orbits.

    2012 FC71, also written 2012 FC71, is a small asteroid trapped in a Kozai resonance with the Earth.

    2013 ND15 (also written 2013 ND15) is an asteroid that is a temporary trojan of Venus, the first known Venus trojan.

    2014 OL339 (also written 2014 OL339) is an Aten asteroid that is a temporary quasi-satellite of Earth, the fourth known Earth quasi-satellite.

    2013 LX28, is an asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group that is a temporary quasi-satellite of the Earth, the third known Earth quasi-satellite.

    2015 SO2 (also written 2015 SO2) is an Aten asteroid that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth, the ninth known Earth horseshoe librator. Prior to its most recent close encounter with our planet (2015 September 30) it was an Apollo asteroid.

    2015 XX169 (also written 2015 XX169) is an Apollo asteroid that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth, the tenth known Earth horseshoe librator. A close encounter with the Earth on 14 December 2015 caused the value of the semi-major axis of 2015 XX169 to drift slowly upwards, and the object evolved from an Aten asteroid to an Apollo asteroid about a year after this close approach.

    2015 YQ1 (also written 2015 YQ1) is an Apollo asteroid that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth, the twelfth known Earth horseshoe librator. It experienced a close encounter with the Earth on 2015 December 22 at 0.0037 AU.

    2015 YA is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Aten group, that is a temporary horseshoe companion to the Earth. It is the 11th known Earth horseshoe librator. Prior to a close encounter with the Earth on 15 December 2015, 2015 YA was an Apollo asteroid.

    2017 FZ2 (also written 2017 FZ2) is a micro-asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group that was a quasi-satellite of the Earth until March 23, 2017.

    2017 DR109, is a micro-asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group and Aten group, respectively. It is currently trapped in a 1:1 mean motion resonance with the Earth of the horseshoe type. The object was first observed on 27 February 2017, by astronomers of the Catalina Sky Survey conducted at Mount Lemmon Observatory, Arizona, United States.

    <span class="nowrap">2011 SP<sub>189</sub></span>

    2011 SP189 is a small asteroid and Mars trojan orbiting near the L5 point of Mars (60 degrees behind Mars on its orbit).

    <span class="nowrap">2011 UB<sub>256</sub></span>

    2011 UB256 is a small asteroid and Mars trojan orbiting near the L5 point of Mars (60 degrees behind Mars on its orbit).

    2020 VT1 is a small asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Amor group, that is a temporary horseshoe companion to Mars.

    2020 PP1 is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo group, that is a temporary quasi-satellite of the Earth. There are over a dozen known Earth quasi-satellites, some of which switch periodically between the quasi-satellite and horseshoe co-orbital states.

    2009 SH2 is a sub-kilometer near-Earth asteroid of the Aten group, discovered by the Siding Spring Survey at Siding Spring Observatory, Australia on 18 September 2009. It is in a co-orbital configuration with Earth, a type of 1:1 orbital resonance where the asteroid appears to librate around Earth's path in a horseshoe orbit when viewed in a corotating reference frame with Earth. The co-orbital state of 2009 SH2 is only temporary as it has entered it about 30 years ago and will leave it in about 100 years into the future.

    References

    1. List Of Aten Minor Planets
    2. 1 2 3 4 2020 PN1 at the JPL Small-Body Database Retrieved 2021-01-20
    3. AstDys-2 on 2020 PN1 Retrieved 2021-01-20
    4. NEODyS-2 on 2020 PN1 Retrieved 2021-01-20
    5. Absolute-magnitude conversion table (H)
    6. 1 2 de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl (March 2021). "Using Mars co-orbitals to estimate the importance of rotation-induced YORP break-up events in Earth co-orbital space". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . 501 (4): 6007–6025. arXiv: 2101.02563 . Bibcode:2021MNRAS.501.6007D. doi:10.1093/mnras/stab062.
    7. Discovery MPEC
    8. Andrew Jones (July 12, 2022). "China to target near-Earth object 2020 PN1 for asteroid deflection mission" . Retrieved September 29, 2022.
    Further reading