Astronomy:2005 LW3

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Short description: Asteroid


2005 LW3
2005LW3 Goldstone radar Nov23.jpg
Radar image of 2005 LW3 and its satellite (below) by the Goldstone Solar System Radar on 23 November 2022
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered bySiding Spring Survey
Discovery siteSiding Spring Obs.
Discovery date5 June 2005
Designations
2005 LW3
Minor planet categoryNEO · Apollo · PHA
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 25 February 2023 (JD 2460000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc17.49 yr (6,389 days)[1]
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}2.106 AU
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}0.771 AU
1.439 AU
Eccentricity0.4638
Orbital period1.73 yr (630.3 days)
Mean anomaly81.385°
Mean motion0° 34m 16.171s / day
Inclination6.021°
Longitude of ascending node59.587°
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}5 October 2022
288.663°
Earth MOID0.001397 AU (209,000 km; 0.544 LD)
Jupiter MOID3.335 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter400 m (primary)[4]
Rotation period3.6 h[4]
Geometric albedo0.02[5]
Absolute magnitude (H)21.89[3] · 21.68[1]


2005 LW3 is a binary near-Earth asteroid classified as a potentially hazardous object of the Apollo group. It was discovered on 5 June 2005 by the Siding Spring Survey at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia .[2] It made a close approach of 2.97 lunar distances (1.14×10^6 km; 0.71×10^6 mi) from Earth on 23 November 2022, reaching a peak brightness of apparent magnitude 13 as it passed over the northern celestial hemisphere sky.[1] It was extensively observed by astronomers worldwide during the close approach, and radar observations by NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar in California discovered a 100 m (330 ft)-wide natural satellite orbiting the asteroid at a wide separation of 4 km (2.5 mi).[6][7]

Physical characteristics

Goldstone Solar System Radar observations in November 2022 resolved the shape of 2005 LW3, revealing a body 400 m (1,300 ft) in diameter—larger than its previously expected diameter of 150 m (490 ft).[4][7] For an absolute magnitude of 21.9, this radar-measured diameter indicates that 2005 LW3 has a very low geometric albedo of 0.02.[5] These radar observations also determined a rotation period of 3.6 hours for 2005 LW3.[4]

Satellite

The satellite of 2005 LW3 was discovered by a team of astronomers[lower-alpha 1] using Goldstone Solar System Radar observations from 23–27 November 2022. The satellite appears elongated, with equatorial dimensions of 100 m × 50 m (330 ft × 160 ft).[4] The satellite is widely separated from 2005 LW3 (the primary body of the system) at a semi-major axis of about 4 km (2.5 mi),[4] which is around 17% of the primary's Hill radius (24 km or 15 mi for an assumed primary density of 1.6 g/cm3).[5] The satellite's discovery was announced in a Central Bureau Electronic Telegram on 10 December 2022.[4]

Notes

  1. Observers credited for the discovery of the satellite include: S. P. Naidu, L. A. M. Benner, M. Brozovic, J. D. Giorgini, S. Horiuchi, I. Savill-Brown, J. Stevens, C. Phillips, P. Edwards, and E. Kruzins.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "2005 LW3". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2005+LW3. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "MPEC 2005-L19 : 2005 LW3". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 6 June 2005. https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K05/K05L19.html. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2005 LW3)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=3279432. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Green, Daniel W. E. (10 December 2022). "CBET 5198: 2005 LW_3". Central Bureau Electronic Telegram. Central Bureau for astronomical Telegrams. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/005100/CBET005198.txt. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Johnston, Wm. Robert (1 December 2022). "2005 LW3". Johnston's Archive. http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/astmoons/am2005lw3.html. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 
  6. "MPEC 2022-U222 : International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) Timing Campaign". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 24 October 2022. https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K22/K22UM2.html. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Benner, Lance A. M. (10 December 2022). "Goldstone Radar Observations Planning: 2005 LW3, 1998 SS49, and 2017 QL33". NASA. https://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/2005LW3/2005LW3.2022.goldstone.planning.html. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 

External links