Earth's Busy Neighborhood
ACC's Small Object Report for 8-14 May 2006
A semi-automated report compiled on 14 May 2006 at 2359 UTC
There are seven small asteroids reported in the last 168 hours, during which three were newly discovered.
Currently 1,049 NEAs are listed with H>22.0 by JPL and/or the MPC (870 are listed as such by both).
[ news | objects by size | object index alpha/cross-ref | 48 Hours | viewing | weekly ]
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 in the future. They present a sampling of distant asteroid
populations and 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.
Small Object News (newest items first) [ object listings |
index |
48 Hours |
viewing |
weekly |
top ]
- Week in Review: Three small asteroids were discovered this past week, three others were tracked, and one was reported from last year. Ten observing facilities (see below) participated in the week's work, plus Andrushivka Observatory in the Ukraine, which reported 2005 SP1 from early within its short observing arc last September (causing this object to lose its last impact solution).
Two of the discoveries were from the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS), and one was made with the Spacewatch 0.9m telescope, all in Arizona. CSS discovery 2006 JY26, which became risk listed and has now gone out of view, passed just outside the Earth-Moon system at 1.1 lunar distances (LD) from Earth less than four days after it was first spotted. Update: A/CC has learned from querying the JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System that 2006 JY26 came within 0.38 LD (0.00096 AU) of the Moon at 0304 UT on May 9th.
Observing was washed out by the full Moon and no reports of small asteroid observations were made after Thursday.
Yesterday, Saturday, A/CC went public with a new small asteroid ephemerides form. NEO observers can now go directly from the viewing opportunity lists (begun by A/CC last December) to obtain planning data from MPC's Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service (MPES). This is an extension of Sergio Foglia's suggestion for, and help with, having a similar page for CRT objects that are currently in view and have impact solutions.
- May 12-14: The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday DOU MPECs report observations of only a few asteroids, none of them small, which is a common situation around the time of the full Moon.
- May 11: Thursday DOU MPEC 2006-J43 reports observation of three small asteroids. The Siding Spring Survey in Australia provided the first follow-up for 2006 JM6, adding about three days to its one-day discovery arc. The Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona tracked the about-to-disappear 2006 JY26 yesterday morning and added to its observation set from the morning before.
From Andrushivka Observatory in the Ukraine there are newly-reported observations of 2005 SP1 from early within this object's 20-day observing arc last September 25th, and today its single last impact solution was removed by JPL. 2005 SP1 flew past Earth at 5.7 lunar distances on 15 September 2005, was discovered on the 23rd by the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, and was announced on the 25th in MPEC 2005-S42.
- May 10: Wednesday's DOU MPEC 2006-J42 reports observation of one small asteroid. Fleeting risk-listed 2006 JY26 was observed yesterday morning by the Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona and the day before by the Siding Spring Survey in New South Wales.
- May 9 #2: Discovery of small asteroid 2006 JT41 was announced today. It was found by Robert McMillan at the Spacewatch 0.9m telescope in Arizona on the morning of May 7th and was confirmed yesterday and this morning with the Spacewatch 1.8m telescope.
- May 9 #1: The Tuesday DOU MPEC 2006-J39 reports observations of three small asteroids. 2006 HZ5 had its 17-day observing arc extended by another day and will be visible for much of the month. Not a lot of time was added to the arcs for the other two, however, but then they don't have much time available. Great Shefford Observatory in England caught tiny, risk-listed 2006 JY26 and, along with the Siding Spring Survey in Australia, also reported 2006 JV26. These two objects with discoveries announced yesterday are passing Earth today and just after midnight UT at 1.1 and 2.5 lunar distances and will quickly go out of view.
- May 8 #2: In the first quarter hour of May 10th, about 22 hours after 2006 JV26 makes its surprise flyby (see earlier item from today, next below), 2006 JY26 will pass just outside the Earth-Moon system at 1.1 lunar distances. This object was discovered on the morning of May 6th by Eric Christensen at the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) in Arizona and quickly confirmed by Grasslands Observatory, also in Arizona. CSS tracked it again the next morning and the discovery was announced after confirmation this morning from Table Mountain Observatory in southern California and the Mt. Lemmon Survey near CSS. This object, estimated to be on the order of five meters in diameter, is calculated to go out of view during 11-12 May.
Update: JPL has posted 2006 JY26 today as an impact risk.
- May 8 #1: Discovery of small asteroid 2006 JV26 has been announced today. It was found and followed this morning by Eric Christensen at CSS and picked up less than two hours hours later by Rob McNaught at CSS's sibling Siding Spring Survey in Australia, for an arc totalling 3.554 hours. This object will go out of view tomorrow within hours of passing Earth, which JPL is reporting will be at 2.5 lunar distances at about 0218 TDB on the 9th.
Monday's DOU MPEC 2006-J33 reports observation of risk-listed 2006 HF6 from Spacewatch in Arizona, and Jornada Observatory in New Mexico added about five days to what had been2006 HZ5's twelve-day observing arc.
- See more news, from the week of 1-7 May and other weeks, or look up individual objects here. Also see reports about the nominal 1,000th small-asteroid discovery as counted by A/CC during the week ending February 26th, and, from the week of March 12th, a report on the end of the FMO Project at Spacewatch.
Object Listings -- smallest objects first [ Alpha Index | 48 Hours | top ]
2006 JY26 (K06J26Y) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 7 meters per JPL H=28.35, MPC H=28.4
This object has been listed as an impact risk since 8 May 2006.
JPL classifies 2006 JY26 as an Aten and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.001671 AU (0.65 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 1.1 lunar distances (LD) on 10 May 2006 at 0010 UT.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-J38, 2006-J39,
2006-J42, and 2006-J43:
Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) [703]
2006-05-06 0831-1019, 12 pos in MPEC 2006-J38, discovery (*)
2006-05-07 0615-0715, 8 pos in MPEC 2006-J38, confirmation
Grasslands Obs. [651]
2006-05-06 1045-1050, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-J38, confirmation
Table Mountain Obs. [673{5}] coded to Jim Young
2006-05-08 0351-0506, 6 pos in MPEC 2006-J38, confirmation
Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) [G96]
2006-05-08 0435-0436, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-J38, confirmation
2006-05-09 0329-0344, 24 pos in MPECs 2006-J43 -J42, follow-up
2006-05-10 0405-0411, 12 pos in MPEC 2006-J43, follow-up
Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12]
2006-05-08 1048-1050, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-J42, follow-up
Great Shefford Obs. [J95]
2006-05-08 2108-2120, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-J39, follow-up
2006 JV26 (K06J26V) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 31 meters per JPL H=25.19, MPC H=25.2
JPL classifies 2006 JV26 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.005635 AU (2.19 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 2.5 LD on 9 May 2006 at 0218 UT.
Lowell Observatory reports 2006 JV26 has an MOID of 0.01000 AU (3.89 LD) with Venus.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-J37 and 2006-J39:
Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) [703]
2006-05-08 0942-1127, 19 pos in MPEC 2006-J37, discovery (*)
Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12]
2006-05-08 1254-1315, 33 pos in MPEC 2006-J37, confirmation
2006-05-08 1428-1538, 10 pos in MPEC 2006-J39, follow-up
Great Shefford Obs. [J95]
2006-05-08 2126-2156, 5 pos in MPEC 2006-J39, follow-up
2006 JT41 (K06J41T) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 37 meters per JPL H=24.78, MPC H=24.8
JPL classifies 2006 JT41 as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.055973 AU (21.78 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 22.6 LD on 16 April 2006.
Lowell Observatory reports 2006 JT41 has an MOID of 0.04782 AU (18.61 LD) with Mars.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-J40:
Spacewatch 0.9m telescope [691]
2006-05-06 0911-1002, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-J40, discovery (*)
Spacewatch 1.8m telescope [291]
2006-05-08 0801-0812, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-J40, confirmation
2006-05-09 0604-0640, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-J40, confirmation (tH)
2006 HZ5 (K06H05Z) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 41 meters per JPL H=24.61, MPC H=24.5
JPL classifies 2006 HZ5 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.010913 AU (4.25 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 7.4 LD on 2 April 2006 at about 0312 UT.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-J33 and 2006-J39:
Jornada Obs. [715]
2006-05-07 0557-0619, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-J33, follow-up (I)
Kanab Obs. [682]
2006-05-08 0634-0721, 2 pos in MPEC 2006-J39, follow-up
Spacewatch 1.8m telescope [291]
2006-05-08 0705-0717, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-J39, follow-up
See also information from the week ending 7 May 2006.
2006 HF6 (K06H06F) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 43 meters per JPL H=24.47, MPC H=24.4
This object has been listed as an impact risk since 22 April 2006.
JPL classifies 2006 HF6 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.002724 AU (1.06 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 1.9 LD on 18 April 2006 at 0829 UT.
Lowell Observatory reports 2006 HF6 has an MOID of 0.01555 AU (6.05 LD) with Venus.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-J33:
Spacewatch 1.8m telescope [291]
2006-05-07 0457-0536, 3 pos in MPEC 2006-J33, follow-up (H)
See also information from the week ending 7 May 2006.
2006 JM6 (K06J06M) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 64 meters per JPL H=23.61, MPC H=23.6
JPL classifies 2006 JM6 as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.031896 AU (12.41 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 19.0 LD on 14 May 2006.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-J43:
Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12]
2006-05-10 1014-1017, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-J43, follow-up
See also information from the week ending 7 May 2006.
2005 SP1 (K05S01P) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 77 meters per JPL H=23.23, MPC H=23.2
This object was listed from 25 Sept. 2005 until 11 May 2006 as an impact risk.
JPL classifies 2005 SP1 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.014003 AU (5.45 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 5.7 LD on 15 Sept. at 1838 UT.
Lowell Observatory reports 2005 SP1 has an MOID of 0.03237 AU (12.6 LD) with Mars.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-J43:
Andrushivka Obs. [A50]
2005-09-25 2219-2231, 4 pos in MPEC 2006-J43, follow-up
48+120 Hours [ Objects Listings (size order) | Object Index (alpha/xref) | top ]
Observations of seven small objects were reported during the last 168 hours:
2005 SP1, 2006 HF6, 2006 HZ5, 2006 JM6, 2006 JT41, 2006 JV26 & 2006 JY26
in MPECs:
2006-J33 time-stamped 2006 May 8, 06:10 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-J37 time-stamped 2006 May 8, 14:12 UT - 2006 JV26
2006-J38 time-stamped 2006 May 8, 18:07 UT - 2006 JY26
2006-J39 time-stamped 2006 May 9, 06:10 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-J40 time-stamped 2006 May 9, 21:26 UT - 2006 JT41
2006-J42 time-stamped 2006 May 10, 06:10 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-J43 time-stamped 2006 May 11, 06:11 UT - Daily Orbit Update
Date & times for other sources that were parsed to compile this page:
JPL Close Approaches, downloaded at 2006 May 13, 1503 UTC
JPL NEO Orbital Elements, downloaded at 2006 May 13, 1506 UTC
Lowell Observatory Orbit intersections, time-stamped 2006 May 13 0827:19 UTC
MPC NEA.DAT from MPC mirror, downloaded at 2006 May 13, 1501 UTC
Risk monitoring sites, as of A/CC's check at 2006 May 15, 0003 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 15 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 HX30 2006-05-17 0.018538 20 26.12 7 - past obs. - (3 May)
2006 FH 2006-05-20 0.047163 48 24.26 28 - past obs. - (22 April)
2006 HC 2006-05-20 0.024345 27 25.48 12 - past obs. - (2 May)
2006 HV50 2006-05-21 0.033033 70 23.41 7 - past obs. - (4 May)
2004 RQ252 2006-05-22 0.000443 115 22.34 23 - risk listed - (5 March)
2006 JP 2006-05-25 0.151563 61 23.72 1 - past obs. - (3 May)
2006 CL9 2006-05-26 0.039810 96 22.73 48 - past obs. - (5 April)
2006 HZ5 2006-05-28 0.010913 41 24.61 17 - (9 May)
2006 HW5 2006-05-31 0.027256 47 24.27 13 - past obs. - (4 May)
2006 CW 2006-06-01 0.153265 109 22.47 74 - past obs. - (19 April)
2006 FH36 2006-06-04 0.015393 87 22.94 31 - past obs. - (4 May)
2006 JT41 2006-06-05 0.055973 37 24.78 3 - (9 May)
2000 SJ344 2006-06-11 0.046576 104 22.57 3op - "only one night" - past obs. - (2 May)
2006 HW50 2006-06-11 0.020646 46 24.32 14 - past obs. - (7 May)
2006 JM6 2006-06-25 0.031896 64 23.61 5 - (11 May)
2005 YM128 2006-06-30 0.029665 55 23.93 125 - past obs. - (7 May)
2005 YA37 2006-07-09 0.035667 110 22.45 128 - past obs. - (4 May)
1998 HG49 2006-12-21 0.076170 139 21.94 2op - (30 April)
Viewing by designation order - see also Viewing by date order
Object View until MOID AU Dia H Arc Notes (calc date)
---------- ---------- -------- --- ----- --- - -----------------------
2006 JT41 2006-06-05 0.055973 37 24.78 3 - (9 May)
2006 JM6 2006-06-25 0.031896 64 23.61 5 - (11 May)
2006 JP 2006-05-25 0.151563 61 23.72 1 - past obs. - (3 May)
2006 HW50 2006-06-11 0.020646 46 24.32 14 - past obs. - (7 May)
2006 HV50 2006-05-21 0.033033 70 23.41 7 - past obs. - (4 May)
2006 HX30 2006-05-17 0.018538 20 26.12 7 - past obs. - (3 May)
2006 HZ5 2006-05-28 0.010913 41 24.61 17 - (9 May)
2006 HW5 2006-05-31 0.027256 47 24.27 13 - past obs. - (4 May)
2006 HC 2006-05-20 0.024345 27 25.48 12 - past obs. - (2 May)
2006 FH36 2006-06-04 0.015393 87 22.94 31 - past obs. - (4 May)
2006 FH 2006-05-20 0.047163 48 24.26 28 - past obs. - (22 April)
2006 CL9 2006-05-26 0.039810 96 22.73 48 - past obs. - (5 April)
2006 CW 2006-06-01 0.153265 109 22.47 74 - past obs. - (19 April)
2005 YM128 2006-06-30 0.029665 55 23.93 125 - past obs. - (7 May)
2005 YA37 2006-07-09 0.035667 110 22.45 128 - past obs. - (4 May)
2004 RQ252 2006-05-22 0.000443 115 22.34 23 - risk listed - (5 March)
2000 SJ344 2006-06-11 0.046576 104 22.57 3op - "only one night" - past obs. - (2 May)
1998 HG49 2006-12-21 0.076170 139 21.94 2op - (30 April)
Out-of-view date based on MPES solar elongation <40° and/or magnitude V>22.0 at 1200 UT
geocentric. (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.
"In view" does not necessarily mean locatable for objects with short arcs in prior years,
and for which a large search or accidental rediscovery are the best hopes.
Small object observation cross index [ size order | 48 Hours | viewing | top ]
| Object | Observed by MPC code |
|---|
| 2005 SP1 | A50 |
| 2006 HF6 | 291 |
| 2006 HZ5 | 291, 682, 715 |
| 2006 JM6 | E12 |
| 2006 JT41 | 291, 691 |
| 2006 JV26 | 703, E12, J95 |
| 2006 JY26 | 651, 673, 703, E12, G96, J95 |
|
|
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