Astronomy:2011 GA

From HandWiki
2011 GA
Discovery[1]
Discovered byMount Lemmon Survey
Discovery siteCatalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, USA
Discovery dateApril 1, 2011
Designations
2011 GA
MPO 200327
Minor planet categoryApollo Apollo
NEO, PHA, Earth crosser, Mars crosser
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 21 November 2025 (JD 2461000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc12.63 yr (4614 days)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}2.86328 astronomical unit|AU (428.341 Gm)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}0.73589 AU (110.088 Gm)
1.79958 AU (269.213 Gm)
Eccentricity0.59108
Orbital period2.41 yr (884.44 d)
Mean anomaly332.056°
Mean motion0° 24m 29.768s /day
Inclination9.82630°
Longitude of ascending node200.341°
109.694°
Earth MOID0.00711963 AU (1,065,081 km)
Jupiter MOID2.5206 AU (377.08 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions170–380 m[3]
Rotation period4.4 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)20.7[2]


2011 GA is a Near-Earth object and Apollo asteroid that passed close to the Earth on 15 October 2023. Due to its size and low MOID, it is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA).

Observations

2011 GA was discovered on 1 April 2011 by Andrea Boattinti, who was working for the Mount Lemmon Survey. [4]

In the days just after the close approach, the asteroid was observed by the Goldstone Solar-System Radar.[5]

Orbit and physical characteristics

The orbit and size of 2011 GA makes it a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA). 2011 GA passed within 0.01743 astronomical unit|AU (2,607,000 km; 1,620,000 mi) of the Earth on 15 October 2023.[6] The asteroid also passed within 0.02494 astronomical unit|AU (3,731,000 km; 2,318,000 mi) from Earth around 15 October 1977. For comparison, the distance to the Moon is about 0.0026 AU (384,400 km).

2011 GA has a rotation period of about 4.4 hours.[5] Radar images of the asteroid showed a smooth, regular shape.

The Jupiter Tisserand invariant, used to distinguish different kinds of orbits, is 3.826.[2]

See also

References