2010 RF12
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Mount Lemmon Survey (G96) |
| Discovery date | September 5, 2010 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 2010 RF12 |
| Apollo NEO[2] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 3 | |
| Aphelion | 1.2601 AU (188.51 Gm) (Q) |
| Perihelion | 0.86087 AU (128.784 Gm) (q) |
| 1.0605 AU (158.65 Gm) (a) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.18823 (e) |
| 1.09 yr (398.89 d) | |
| 257.93° (M) | |
| 0° 54m 9s /day (n) | |
| Inclination | 0.88262° (i) |
| 163.84° (Ω) | |
| 267.57° (ω) | |
| Earth MOID | 0.000472692 AU (70,713.7 km) |
| Jupiter MOID | 3.94203 AU (589.719 Gm) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions |
~7 meters (23 ft)[3] 6–14 m (20–46 ft) |
| Mass | 5×105 kg (assumed)[3] |
| 12–45 | |
| 28.1[2] | |
|
| |
2010 RF12 is a near-Earth asteroid that passed between Earth and the Moon on September 8, 2010 at 21:12 UTC, approaching Earth within 79,000 kilometres (49,000 mi) above Antarctica.[4]
NASA's Near Earth Program estimates its size to be 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter with a mass of around 500 tonnes.[3] 2010 RF12 will make many more close approaches to Earth, with the approach of September 5−6, 2095 having a 6% chance (1 in 16) of colliding with Earth.[3][5] The nominal JPL Earth approach in 2095 is 0.000058 AU (8,700 km; 5,400 mi)[2] with Earth having a radius of approximately 6,400 kilometres (4,000 mi). Due to the asteroid's relatively small size, there is little danger of harm arising from such an impact, rather there would be an impressive fireball as the rock air burst in the upper atmosphere.[6] The power of the airburst would be somewhere between the Sutter's Mill meteorite and the Chelyabinsk meteor. The nominal NEODyS orbit shows that the asteroid will pass 0.0001 AU (15,000 km; 9,300 mi) from Earth on September 6, 2095, with an apparent magnitude of ~12.[7]
The asteroid was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey near Tucson, Arizona on September 5, 2010 along with 2010 RX30.[8]
See also
- 2010 RX30, a similar-sized asteroid that passed Earth the same day
- 2000 SG344, an Earth threatening S-IVB booster?
- 2006 JY26
- List of asteroid close approaches to Earth, for other close approaches
References
- ↑ "MPEC 2010-R41 : 2010 RF12". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2010-09-05. Retrieved 2014-04-17. (K10R12F)
- 1 2 3 4 "JPL Close-Approach Data: (2010 RF12)" (last observation: 2010-09-08; arc: 3 days). Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "Earth Impact Risk Summary: 2010 RF12". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
- ↑ Harvard scientists keep an eye on wayward asteroids
- ↑ "Impactor Table: 2010RF12". NEODyS-2. Retrieved 2014-04-16. (1 in 12)
- ↑ How a Near-Earth Object Impact Might Affect Society, 9 January 2003, Clark R. Chapman, SwRI, Boulder CO USA
- ↑ "2010RF12 Ephemerides for 5−6 September 2095". NEODyS (Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site). Retrieved 2014-04-17.
- ↑ Second Asteroid to Buzz Earth Later Today
External links
- 2010 RF12 at the JPL Small-Body Database
