Astronomy:4581 Asclepius
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 31 March 1989 |
| Designations | |
| (4581) Asclepius | |
| Pronunciation | /əˈskliːpiəs/[4] |
| Named after | Asclepius (Greek mythology)[2] |
| 1989 FC | |
| Minor planet category | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 28 May 2014 (JD 2456805.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 27.27 yr (9,959 days) |
| |{{{apsis}}}|helion}} | 1.3874 AU |
| |{{{apsis}}}|helion}} | 0.6574 AU |
| 1.0224 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.3570 |
| Orbital period | 1.03 yr (378 days) |
| Mean anomaly | 194.55° |
| Mean motion | 0° 57m 12.24s / day |
| Inclination | 4.9190° |
| Longitude of ascending node | 180.30° |
| 255.30° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0036 AU |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 300 m[citation needed] |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 20.7[1] |
4581 Asclepius /əˈskliːpiəs/, provisional designation 1989 FC, is a sub-kilometer-sized asteroid, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group that makes close orbital passes with Earth. Discovered on 31 March 1989 by American astronomers Henry Holt and Norman Thomas at Palomar Observatory, Asclepius is named after the Greek demigod of medicine and healing.[3][2]
Asclepius passed by Earth on 22 March 1989 at a distance of 0.00457 astronomical unit|AU (684,000 km; 425,000 mi).[5][6] Although this exceeds the Moon's orbital radius, the close pass received attention at that time. "On the cosmic scale of things, that was a close call", said Dr. Henry Holt.[7] Geophysicists estimate that collision with Asclepius would release energy comparable to the explosion of a 600 megaton atomic bomb.[8] The asteroid was discovered 31 March 1989, nine days after its closest approach to the Earth.[9]
Subsequent discoveries revealed that a whole class of such objects exists. Close approaches by objects the size of Asclepius pass by every two or three years, undetected until the start of computerized near-Earth object searches.
On 24 March 2051, the asteroid will pass 0.0123 astronomical unit|AU (1,840,000 km; 1,140,000 mi) from the Earth.[5][6] It will be the eighth pass of less than 30 Gm in this century.[5] JPL shows that the uncertainty region of the asteroid will cause it to most likely pass from 0.02 AU to 0.17 AU from the Earth in 2135.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4581 Asclepius (1989 FC)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2004581.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(4581) Asclepius". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (4581) Asclepius. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 394. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4512. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "4581 Asclepius (1989 FC)". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=4581.
- ↑ Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "JPL Close-Approach Data: 4581 Asclepius (1989 FC)". https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=4581;cad=1#cad.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "NEODyS-2 Close Approaches for (4581) Asclepius". Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site. https://newton.spacedys.com/neodys/index.php?pc=1.1.8&n=4581.
- ↑ "Asteroid's Passing a 'Close Call' for Earth, NASA Says". Los Angeles Times. April 20, 1989. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-04-20/news/mn-2278_1_asteroid-nasa-project-national-aeronautics.
- ↑ Gilchrist, Tom (October 2008). "Effects of an impact event: an analysis of asteroid 1989FC". Geoverse: eJournal of Undergraduate Research in Geography. ISSN 1758-3411. https://www.brookes.ac.uk/geoverse/original-papers/effects-of-an-impact-event--an-analysis-of-asteroid-1989fc. Retrieved 2018-03-01.
- ↑ Brian G. Marsden (1998-03-29). "How the Asteroid Story Hit: An Astronomer Reveals How a Discovery Spun Out of Control". Minor Planet Center and Boston Globe newspaper. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/pressinfo/1997XF11Globe.html.
External links
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info )
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)–(5000) – Minor Planet Center
- 4581 Asclepius at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
- Ephemeris · Obs prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Obs info · Close · Physical info · NEOCC
- 4581 Asclepius at the JPL Small-Body Database
 |  |
