Astronomy:2020 VT1

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2020 VT1
Discovery [1]
Discovered byPan-STARRS1
Discovery siteHaleakalā Obs.
Discovery date10 November 2020
Designations
2020 VT1
Minor planet categoryNEO–Amor[1][2]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 6[2] · 5[1]
Observation arc24 days
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}1.7774 AU
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}1.2687 AU
1.5231 AU
Eccentricity0.1670
Orbital period1.88 yr (687 d)
Mean anomaly315.41°
Mean motion0° 31m 27.84s / day
Inclination18.717°
Longitude of ascending node50.169°
296.19°
Earth MOID0.3504 AU (136 LD)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter89 m (est. at 0.15)[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)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]

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
Relative to Sun and Mars
Around Mars
Around Sun
  Sun ·   Mars ·   2020 VT1

Mars trojan

L4 (leading):

L5 (trailing):


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "2020 VT1". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2020+VT1. Retrieved 7 February 2021. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2020 VT1)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=54087655. Retrieved 7 February 2021. 
  3. ↑ "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS NASA/JPL. https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/ast_size_est.html. Retrieved 7 February 2021. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 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. doi:10.1093/mnras/stab062. Bibcode: 2021MNRAS.501.6007D. https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/501/4/6007/6081058. 
  5. ↑ "MPEC 2020-V75 : 2020 VT1". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 12 November 2020. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K20/K20V75.html. 
Further reading

External links



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