2020 VT1

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2020 VT1
Discovery [1]
Discovered by Pan-STARRS1
Discovery site Haleakalā Obs.
Discovery date10 November 2020
Designations
2020 VT1
NEO–Amor [1] [2]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 6 [2]  ·5 [1]
Observation arc 24 days
Aphelion 1.7774 AU
Perihelion 1.2687 AU
1.5231 AU
Eccentricity 0.1670
1.88 yr (687 d)
315.41°
0° 31m 27.84s / day
Inclination 18.717°
50.169°
296.19°
Earth  MOID 0.3504 AU (136  LD)
Physical characteristics
89  m (est. at 0.15) [3]
22.921 [2]  ·23.0 [1]

    2020 VT1 is a small asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Amor group, that is a temporary horseshoe companion to Mars. [4]

    Contents

    Discovery

    2020 VT1 was discovered on 10 November 2020, by J. Bulger, K. Chambers, T. Lowe, A. Schultz, and M. Willman observing for the survey conducted by Pan-STARRS at Haleakalā Observatory, Hawaii. [1] [5] As of 20 January 2021, it has been observed 28 times with an observation arc of 24 days. [2]

    Orbit and orbital evolution

    2020 VT1 is currently an Amor asteroid, a subgroup of the near-Earth objects that approach the orbit of Earth from beyond, but do not cross it. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.3–1.8  AU once every 23 months (687 days; semi-major axis of 1.52 AU). Its orbit has a moderate eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 19° with respect to the ecliptic. [2] It is most notable for its horseshoe orbit, a complex co-orbital motion with Mars, as both bodies have similar semi-major axes. [4] The object can also be classified as a Mars-crosser, intersecting the orbit of the Red Planet at 1.66 AU. [2]

    Animation of 2020 VT1 from 1600 to 2500
    Animation of 2020 VT1 around Sun - Frame rotating with Mars.gif
    Relative to Sun and Mars
    Animation of 2020 VT1 around Mars.gif
    Around Mars
    Animation of 2020 VT1 around Sun.gif
    Around Sun
      Sun ·  Mars ·  2020 VT1

    Mars trojan

    L4 (leading):

    L5 (trailing):

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 "2020 VT1". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
    2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2020 VT1)" (2020-11-14 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 7 February 2021.
    3. ↑ "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS NASA/JPL. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
    4. 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 .
    5. ↑ "MPEC 2020-V75 : 2020 VT1". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
    Further reading
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