13-19 March '06 - A/CC Small Object Report

ACC's Small Object Report for 13-19 March 2006

A semi-automated report compiled on 20 March 2006 at 0015 UTC

There are 6 small objects reported in the last 168 hours, during which none were newly discovered.

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Editor's note: As asteroids go, "small" is defined as having an absolute magnitude (brightness) calculated at greater than H=22.0, which converts very roughly to a diameter under 135 meters. No matter how close they come to the Earth, the astronomical community does not classify such objects as "potentially hazardous." However, as demonstrated by the mile wide (1.6 km.) Barringer Crater in Arizona, blasted out by a "small" asteroid some 50,000 years ago, there are asteroids too small to be labeled "potentially hazardous" that actually could cause severe local damage. These are sometimes called "Tunguska-class objects" (TCOs), after the 1908 event probably caused by a comet fragment or asteroid too small to be classified today as hazardous but packing enough wallop to flatten a Siberian forest area the size of a large city.
NEODyS in December 2005 changed its main Risk page to classify "Objects too small to result in heavy damage on the ground" as having "absolute magnitude > 25," which corresponds to perhaps 35 meters wide. And JPL two months earlier started flagging (with a blue background) risk-listed objects of "Estimated diameter 50 meters or less" as "not likely to cause significant damage in the event of an impact, although impact damage does depend heavily upon the specific (and usually unknown) physical properties of the object in question."
Small asteroids that come close enough to Earth to be seen have significant potential for scientific study today, and for exploration and exploitation someday. Mainly a sampling of distant asteroid populations, a few may be remnants of the event that created the Earth-Moon system.
Some of these objects are discovered while close to Earth moving across the sky quite quickly, when they are called "FMOs" or "VFMOs" (very fast moving objects). The discovery and follow-up tracking of asteroids with H>22.0 represents some of the most difficult and very best observing work being done today by amateur and professional astronomers around the world, and the page you are reading is dedicated to recognizing their ongoing successes.

Object Listings -- smallest objects first [ Alpha Index | 48 Hours | top ]

Size estimate: 15 meters per JPL H=26.73, MPC H=26.7 This object has been listed as an impact risk since 28 Feb. 2006. JPL classifies 2006 DM63 as an Aten and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.000700 AU (0.27 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 0.6 lunar distances (LD) on 24 Feb. 2006 at about 0357 UT. Lowell Observatory reports 2006 DM63 has significant MOIDs with planets Mercury (0.03186 AU = 12.4 LD) and Venus (0.01321 AU = 5.14 LD). Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-F02: Modra Obs. [118] 2006-02-27 1818-1835, 2 pos in MPEC 2006-F02, follow-up See also information from the week ending 5 March 2006. 2006 DN (K06D00N) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 42 meters per JPL H=24.51, MPC H=24.6 This object has been listed as an impact risk since 22 Feb. 2006. JPL classifies 2006 DN as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.004387 AU (1.71 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 10.2 LD on 17 March 2006. Lowell Observatory reports 2006 DN has an MOID of 0.02188 AU (8.51 LD) with Mars. Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-E51 and 2006-F01: Schiaparelli Obs. [204] 2006-03-12 0212-0222, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-F01, follow-up Wildberg Obs. [198] 2006-03-13 2305-2307, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-E51, follow-up Sandlot Obs. [H36] 2006-03-14 0603-0625, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-E51, follow-up See also information from the week ending 12 March 2006. 2006 EK53 (K06E53K) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 86 meters per JPL H=22.98, MPC H=23.0 JPL classifies 2006 EK53 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.013663 AU (5.32 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 20.1 LD on 3 March 2006. Lowell Observatory reports 2006 EK53 has significant MOIDs with planets Venus (0.01217 AU = 4.74 LD) and Mars (0.04054 AU = 15.77 LD). Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-F03: Desert Moon Obs. [448] 2006-03-16 0731-0754, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-F03, follow-up See also information from the week ending 12 March 2006. 2006 CL9 (K06C09L) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 99 meters per JPL H=22.66, MPC H=22.7 JPL classifies 2006 CL9 as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.039837 AU (15.50 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 18.7 LD on 25 Feb. 2006. Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-E51: Verona Obs. [A48] 2006-02-28 2042-2101, 5 pos in MPEC 2006-E51, follow-up 2006-03-02 2127-2135, 5 pos in MPEC 2006-E51, follow-up See also information from the week ending 12 March 2006. 2006 CW (K06C00W) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 106 meters per JPL H=22.52, MPC H=22.5 JPL classifies 2006 CW as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.153292 AU (59.65 LD). Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-F02: Desert Moon Obs. [448] 2006-03-16 0610-0659, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-F02, follow-up See also information from the week ending 12 March 2006. 2006 CT (K06C00T) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 117 meters per JPL H=22.30, MPC H=22.3 This object was listed from 5 until 22 Feb. 2006 as an impact risk. JPL classifies 2006 CT as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.001627 AU (0.63 LD). Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-E52: Wildberg Obs. [198] 2006-03-01 2230-2233, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-E52, follow-up See also information from the week ending 12 March 2006.

48 Hours [ Objects Listings (size order) | Object Index (alpha/xref) | top ]

Observations of one small object was reported during the last 48 hours: 2006 EK53 in MPEC 2006-F03 (Daily Orbit Update) time-stamped 2006 Mar. 18, 07:06 UT. Date & times for other sources that were parsed to compile this page: JPL Close Approaches, downloaded at 2006 March 20, 0009 UTC JPL NEO Orbital Elements, downloaded at 2006 March 20, 0015 UTC Lowell Observatory Orbit intersections, time-stamped 2006 Mar 19 1757:57 UTC MPC NEA.DAT from MPC mirror, downloaded at 2006 March 20, 0010 UTC Risk monitoring sites, as of A/CC's check at 2006 March 19, 2359 UTC (see CRT page) Some observation sets have MPEC codes in parentheses, such as (*) denoting discovery.

Viewing Opportunities for Small Objects [ news | size order | alpha order | top ]

This compilation shows 18 small objects as being currently in view, including 14 not reported in the last seven days. Viewing by date order - see this list also by designation order Object View until MOID AU Dia H Arc Notes (calc date) ---------- ---------- -------- --- ----- --- - ----------------------- 2006 EF1 2006-04-05 0.028321 91 22.86 4 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 DD42 2006-04-05 0.127283 56 23.91 13 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 EK53 2006-04-05 0.013663 86 22.98 7 - (18 March) 2006 EJ53 2006-04-07 0.293585 117 22.31 4 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 DM 2006-04-10 0.078882 50 24.14 8 - past obs. - (28 Feb.) 2006 EW 2006-04-10 0.029471 67 23.52 3 - past obs. - (7 March) 2006 EW52 2006-04-10 0.143401 126 22.14 4 - past obs. - (9 March) 2006 DN 2006-04-13 0.004387 42 24.51 22 - risk listed - (17 March) 2003 FK1 2006-04-14 0.013874 112 22.41 8 - faint recov. poss. - (22 Jan.) 2006 EB1 2006-04-16 0.035213 68 23.48 3 - past obs. - (12 March) 2005 XO4 2006-04-20 0.021856 126 22.14 23 - past obs. - (7 Jan.) 2006 DT63 2006-04-26 0.268550 119 22.27 10 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 EE 2006-04-27 0.060515 70 23.41 8 - past obs. - (12 March) 2002 GK1 2006-05-05 0.004309 114 22.36 6 - faint recov. poss. - (22 Jan.) 2006 EY 2006-05-07 0.048577 32 25.10 5 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 CL9 2006-05-28 0.039837 99 22.66 35 - (15 March) 2006 CW 2006-05-30 0.153292 106 22.52 34 - (17 March) 2005 YA37 2006-07-09 0.035667 111 22.43 26 - past obs. - (4 Feb.) Coming into view soon: 2002 GD10 2006-05-11 0.060027 121 22.23 85 - >26 March, faint recov. poss. - (15 Dec.) Viewing by designation order - see also Viewing by date order Object View until MOID AU Dia H Arc Notes (calc date) ---------- ---------- -------- --- ----- --- - ----------------------- 2006 EK53 2006-04-05 0.013663 86 22.98 7 - (18 March) 2006 EJ53 2006-04-07 0.293585 117 22.31 4 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 EW52 2006-04-10 0.143401 126 22.14 4 - past obs. - (9 March) 2006 EF1 2006-04-05 0.028321 91 22.86 4 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 EB1 2006-04-16 0.035213 68 23.48 3 - past obs. - (12 March) 2006 EY 2006-05-07 0.048577 32 25.10 5 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 EW 2006-04-10 0.029471 67 23.52 3 - past obs. - (7 March) 2006 EE 2006-04-27 0.060515 70 23.41 8 - past obs. - (12 March) 2006 DT63 2006-04-26 0.268550 119 22.27 10 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 DD42 2006-04-05 0.127283 56 23.91 13 - past obs. - (11 March) 2006 DN 2006-04-13 0.004387 42 24.51 22 - risk listed - (17 March) 2006 DM 2006-04-10 0.078882 50 24.14 8 - past obs. - (28 Feb.) 2006 CL9 2006-05-28 0.039837 99 22.66 35 - (15 March) 2006 CW 2006-05-30 0.153292 106 22.52 34 - (17 March) 2005 YA37 2006-07-09 0.035667 111 22.43 26 - past obs. - (4 Feb.) 2005 XO4 2006-04-20 0.021856 126 22.14 23 - past obs. - (7 Jan.) 2003 FK1 2006-04-14 0.013874 112 22.41 8 - faint recov. poss. - (22 Jan.) 2002 GD10 2006-05-11 0.060027 121 22.23 85 - >26 March, faint recov. poss. - (15 Dec.) 2002 GK1 2006-05-05 0.004309 114 22.36 6 - faint recov. poss. - (22 Jan.) Out-of-view date based on MPES solar elongation <40° and/or magnitude V>22.0 at 1200 UT. (Not factored in is any lunar interference with viewing.) Objects are linked in the left-most column only if observed in the last seven days, while objects with earlier small-object reporting are linked under "Notes." Diameter ("Dia") is in meters, a very rough estimate from brightness (H). Observing "Arc" is from MPES in days or number of oppositions.

Small object observation cross index [ size order | 48 Hours | viewing | top ]

Object

Observed by MPC code

A48

198

448

118