View source for Astronomy:(524522) 2002 VE68

{{Short description|Temporary quasi-satellite of Venus}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{mp|(524522) 2002 VE|68}}}}
{{Infobox planet
 | minorplanet     = yes
 | name            = {{mp|(524522) 2002 VE|68}}
 | background      = #FFC2E0
 | image           = File:Animation of 2002 VE68's orbit - rotating frame.gif
 | image_size      = 
 | caption         = Animation of {{mp|2002 VE|68}}'s orbit from 1600 to 2500 - relative to Sun and Venus{{hlist|{{legend2| Yellow|Sun}}|{{legend2| Lime|Venus}}|{{legend2|Magenta|{{mp|2002 VE|68}} }}}}
 | discovery_ref   = <ref name="MPC-object" />
 | discoverer      = [[Astronomy:Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search|LONEOS]]
 | discovery_site  = Anderson Mesa Stn.
 | discovered      = 11 November 2002
 | mpc_name        = {{mp|(524522) 2002 VE|68}}
 | alt_names       = {{mp|2002 VE|68}}
 | pronounced      = 
 | named_after     = 
 | mp_category     = {{hlist|[[Astronomy:Aten asteroid|Aten]]|[[Astronomy:Near-Earth object|NEO]]|[[Astronomy:Potentially hazardous object|PHA]]|[[Astronomy:Quasi-satellite|quasi-satellite]]}}
 | orbit_ref       = <ref name="jpldata" />
 | epoch           = 5 September 2014 ([[Astronomy:Julian day|JD]] 2456905.5)
 | uncertainty     = 0
 | observation_arc = 16.06 [[Astronomy:Julian year|yr]] (5,866 d)
 | aphelion        = 1.0206 [[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|AU]]
 | perihelion      = 0.4268 AU
 | semimajor       = 0.7237 AU
 | eccentricity    = 0.4103
 | period          = 225 days
 | mean_anomaly    = 251.64[[Degree (angle)|°]]
 | mean_motion     = {{Deg2DMS|1.6010|sup=ms}} / day
 | inclination     = 9.0060°
 | asc_node        = 231.58°
 | arg_peri        = 355.45°
 | moid            = 0.027 AU (10.44 [[Astronomy:Lunar distance|LD]])
 | mean_diameter   = {{val|236|ul=m}} {{small|(calculated)}}<ref name="lcdb" />
 | rotation        = {{val|13.50|0.01|ul=h}}<ref name="lcdb" /><ref name="Hicks-2010l" />
 | albedo          = {{val|0.20}} {{small|(assumed)}}<ref name="lcdb" />
 | spectral_type   = {{ubl|[[Astronomy:X-type asteroid|X]]<ref name="Hicks-2010l" />|B–V {{=}} {{val|0.690|0.041}}<ref name="Hicks-2010l" />|{{nowrap|V–R {{=}} {{val|0.404|0.037}}<ref name="Hicks-2010l" />}}|V–I {{=}} {{val|0.751|0.039}}<ref name="Hicks-2010l" />}}
 | abs_magnitude   = {{ubl|20.5<ref name="jpldata" /><ref name="lcdb" />|{{val|20.59|0.02}}<ref name="Hicks-2010l" />}}
}}

'''{{mp|(524522) 2002 VE|68}}''', provisional designation {{mp|2002 VE|68}}, is a sub-kilometer sized [[Astronomy:Asteroid|asteroid]] and temporary [[Astronomy:Quasi-satellite|quasi-satellite]] of [[Astronomy:Venus|Venus]].<ref name=press>{{cite web |url=https://www.astro.utu.fi/tuorla/new/venusqs.shtml |title=Discovery of the first quasi-satellite of Venus |work=Tuorla Observatory |date=17 August 2004 |access-date=29 January 2024 }}</ref> Discovered in 2002, it was the first such object to be discovered around a major [[Astronomy:Planet|planet]] in the [[Astronomy:Solar System|Solar System]]. In a frame of reference rotating with Venus, it appears to travel around it during one Venerean year, but it orbits the Sun, not Venus.<ref name=paper>{{cite journal |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004MNRAS.351L..63M?high=40daf3f6f900097&db_key=AST |title=Asteroid 2002 VE68, a quasi-satellite of Venus |bibcode=2004MNRAS.351L..63M |last1=Mikkola |first1=S. |last2=Brasser |first2=R. |last3=Wiegert |first3=P. |last4=Innanen |first4=K. |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |date=2004 |volume=351 |issue=3 |pages=L63–L65 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07994.x }}</ref>

== Discovery, orbit and physical properties ==

It was discovered on 11 November 2002 at [[Astronomy:Lowell Observatory|Lowell Observatory]]. As of February 2013, {{mp|2002 VE|68}} has been observed telescopically 457 times with a data-arc span of 2,947 days, and it was the target of Doppler observations on five occasions; therefore, its [[Physics:Orbit|orbit]] is very well determined. Its semi-major axis of 0.7237&nbsp;[[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|AU]] is very similar to that of Venus, but its eccentricity is relatively large (0.4104), and its orbital inclination is also significant (9.0060°). The spectrum of {{mp|2002 VE|68}} implies that it is an [[Astronomy:X-type asteroid|X-type asteroid]] and hence an [[Earth:Albedo|albedo]] of about 0.25 should be assumed.<ref name=Barajas_et_al_2011>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lacitycollege.edu/academic/departments/physics/cure/reports/BarajasT_Sp2011_Report.pdf |title=Physical characterization of 2002 VE68, a quasi-moon of Venus |access-date=2 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218132111/http://www.lacitycollege.edu/academic/departments/physics/cure/reports/BarajasT_Sp2011_Report.pdf |archive-date=18 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The body is calculated to measure 236 meters in diameter. Its rotational period is 13.5 hours, and its [[Astronomy:Light curve|light curve]] has an amplitude of 0.9 mag, which hints at a very elongated body, perhaps a contact binary.<ref name=Barajas_et_al_2011 />

== Quasi-satellite dynamical state and orbital evolution ==

The existence of retrograde satellites or quasi-satellites was first considered by J. Jackson in 1913<ref name=jackson>{{cite journal |url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1913MNRAS..74...62J |title=Retrograde satellite orbits |bibcode=1913MNRAS..74...62J |last1=Jackson |first1=J. |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |date=1913 |volume=74 |issue=2 |page=62 |doi=10.1093/mnras/74.2.62 }}</ref> but none was discovered until almost 100 years later.<ref name=paper /> {{mp|2002 VE|68}} was the first quasi-satellite to be discovered, in 2002, although it was not immediately recognized as such. {{mp|2002 VE|68}} was identified as a quasi-satellite of Venus by Seppo Mikkola, Ramon Brasser, Paul A. Wiegert and Kimmo Innanen in 2004, two years after the actual discovery of the object.<ref name=press/><ref name=paper/> From the perspective of a hypothetical observer in a frame of reference rotating with Venus, it appears to travel around the planet during one Venusian year. However, it does not orbit Venus but the Sun like any other [[Astronomy:Asteroid|asteroid]]. As a quasi-satellite, this minor body is trapped in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with Venus. Besides being a Venus [[Astronomy:Co-orbital configuration|co-orbital]], this [[Astronomy:Aten asteroid|Aten asteroid]] is also a [[Astronomy:List of Mercury-crossing minor planets|Mercury grazer]] and an [[Astronomy:List of Earth-crossing minor planets|Earth crosser]]. {{mp|2002 VE|68}} exhibits resonant (or near-resonant) behavior with [[Astronomy:Mercury (planet)|Mercury]], Venus and [[Astronomy:Earth|Earth]].<ref name=paper2>{{cite journal |url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012MNRAS.427..728D |title=On the dynamical evolution of 2002 VE68 |bibcode=2012MNRAS.427..728D |last1=de la Fuente Marcos |first1=C. |last2=de la Fuente Marcos |first2=R. |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |date=2012 |volume=427 |issue=1 |page=728 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21936.x |arxiv=1208.4444 |s2cid=118535095 }}</ref><ref name=paper3>{{Cite journal |title=Asteroid 2012 XE133, a transient companion to Venus |first1=Carlos |last1=de la Fuente Marcos |last2=de la Fuente Marcos |first2=Raúl |journal=[[Organization:Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society]] |volume=432 |issue=2 |pages=886–893 |doi=10.1093/mnras/stt454 |arxiv=1303.3705 |bibcode=2013MNRAS.432..886D |year=2013 }}</ref> It seems to have been co-orbital with Venus for only the last 7,000 years, and is destined to be ejected from this orbital arrangement about 500 years from now.<ref name=paper /> During this time, its distance to Venus has been and will remain larger than about 0.2&nbsp;AU (3·10<sup>7</sup> km).

== Potentially hazardous asteroid ==

{{mp|2002 VE|68}} is included in the [[Organization:Minor Planet Center|Minor Planet Center]] list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids ([[Astronomy:Potentially hazardous asteroid|PHA]]s) because it comes relatively frequently to within 0.05&nbsp;AU of Earth. Approaches as close as 0.04&nbsp;AU occur with a periodicity of 8 years due to its near 8:13 resonance with Earth.<ref name=paper2 /> {{mp|2002 VE|68}} was discovered during the close approaches of 11 November 2002. During the last close encounter on 7 November 2010, {{mp|2002 VE|68}} approached Earth within 0.035&nbsp;AU (13.6 Lunar distances), brightening below 15th magnitude. Its next fly-by with Earth happened on 4 November 2018 at {{convert|0.038|AU|km mi|abbr=on|lk=off}}.<ref name="jpl-close">{{cite web |type=2010-12-06 last obs (arc=8 years) |title=JPL Close-Approach Data: (2002 VE68) |url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2002VE68;cad=1#cad |access-date=2013-01-05}}</ref> [[Computer simulation|Numerical simulations]] indicate that an actual [[Astronomy:Impact event|collision]] with Earth during the next 10,000 years is not likely, although dangerously close approaches to about 0.002&nbsp;AU are possible, a distance potentially within Earth's [[Astronomy:Hill sphere|Hill sphere]].<ref name=paper2 />

== Numbering and naming ==

This [[Astronomy:Minor planet|minor planet]] was numbered by the [[Organization:Minor Planet Center|Minor Planet Center]] on 18 May 2019 ({{small|M.P.C. 114620}}).<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive" /> As of 2020, it has not officially been named.<ref name="MPC-object" />

== In popular culture ==

On 26 January 2024, ''Radiolab'' aired an episode about the asteroid, which co-host Latif Nasser first noticed on his child's solar system poster, where it was referred to as {{Em|Zoozve}}, derived from the artist misreading {{Em|2002VE}}. This led to a submission to officially name the asteroid, which is currently under review.<ref>{{cite podcast |host=Latif Nasser |title=Zoozve |website=radiolab.org |publisher=WNYC Studios |date=26 January 2024 |url=https://radiolab.org/podcast/zoozve |access-date=26 January 2024}}</ref>

== See also ==
* {{mpl|(322756) 2001 CK|32}}
* {{mpl|2012 XE|133}}
* {{mpl|2013 ND|15}}

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="jpldata">{{cite web
  |type       = 2018-12-03 last obs.
  |title      = JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2002 VE68)
  |url        = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2524522
  |publisher  = [[Organization:Jet Propulsion Laboratory|Jet Propulsion Laboratory]]
  |accessdate = 29 May 2019}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-object">{{cite web
  |title      = 2002 VE68
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2002+VE68
  |accessdate = 29 May 2019}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive">{{cite web
  |title      = MPC/MPO/MPS Archive
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html
  |accessdate = 29 May 2019}}</ref>

<ref name="lcdb">{{cite web
  |title      = LCDB Data for (2002+VE68) 
  |publisher  = Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)
  |url        = http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/generateOneAsteroidInfo.php?AstInfo=0%7C2002+VE68
  |accessdate = 29 May 2019}}</ref>

<ref name="Hicks-2010l">{{Cite journal
  |first1     = M. |last1 = Hicks
  |first2     = D. |last2 = Mayes
  |first3     = T. |last3 = Barajas
  |date       = December 2010
  |title      = Broadband photometry of 2002 VE68, a quasi-moon of Venus.
  |journal    = The Astronomer's Telegram
  |volume     = 3073
  |issue      = 3073
  |pages      = 1
  |bibcode    = 2010ATel.3073....1H}}</ref>

}} <!-- end of reflist -->

==Further reading==
* [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000Sci...288.2190B Understanding the Distribution of Near-Earth Asteroids] Bottke, W. F., Jedicke, R., Morbidelli, A., Petit, J.-M., Gladman, B. 2000, ''Science'', Vol. 288, Issue 5474, pp.&nbsp;2190–2194.
* [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000Icar..144....1C A Numerical Survey of Transient Co-orbitals of the Terrestrial Planets] Christou, A. A. 2000, ''Icarus'', Vol. 144, Issue 1, pp.&nbsp;1–20.   
* [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002Icar..156..399B Debiased Orbital and Absolute Magnitude Distribution of the Near-Earth Objects] Bottke, W. F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H. F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T. S. 2002, ''Icarus'', Vol. 156, Issue 2, pp.&nbsp;399–433.
* [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004Icar..171..102B Transient co-orbital asteroids] Brasser, R., Innanen, K. A., Connors, M., Veillet, C., Wiegert, P., Mikkola, S., Chodas, P. W. 2004, ''Icarus'', Vol. 171, Issue 1, pp.&nbsp;102–109. 
* [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006Icar..185...29M The population of Near Earth Asteroids in coorbital motion with Venus] Morais, M. H. M., Morbidelli, A. 2006, ''Icarus'', Vol. 185, Issue 1, pp.&nbsp;29–38. 
* [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/doi/10.1093/mnras/stt454 Asteroid 2012 XE133: a transient companion to Venus] de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl (2013), ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', Vol. 432, Issue 2, pp.&nbsp;886–893.

== External links ==
* [http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/Atens.html List Of Aten Minor Planets], Minor Planet Center
* [http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/Dangerous.html List of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids] (PHAs)
* [http://martinmobberley.co.uk/images/2002ve68_20101107_mpm.jpg Image acquired during the last 2002 VE68 close approach, 7 November 2010] ([http://martinmobberley.co.uk Martin Mobberley's Astronomical Images web site]) 
* [http://www.asu.cas.cz/~ppravec/2002ve68.gif Light curve] (Ondřejov NEO Photometric Program)
* [http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/2002VE68_v2/2002VE68_planning.html 2002 VE68 Goldstone Radar Observations]
* [https://radiolab.org/podcast/zoozve Zoozve], Radiolab episode (26 January 2024)
* {{NeoDys|524522}}
* {{ESA-SSA|524522|2002VE68}}
* {{JPL small body|id=2524522}}

{{Minor planets navigator | |number=524522 |PageName={{mp|(524522) 2002 VE|68}} | }}
{{Small Solar System bodies}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:524522}}
[[Category:Aten asteroids]]
[[Category:Potentially hazardous asteroids]]

{{Sourceattribution|(524522) 2002 VE68}}