Earth's Busy Neighborhood
ACC's Small Object Report for 24-30 July 2006
A semi-automated report compiled on 30 July 2006 at 2359 UTC
Seven* small asteroids were reported in the last 168 hours, during which three were newly discovered.
Currently 1,076 NEAs are listed with H>22.0 by JPL and/or the MPC (896 are listed as such by both).
*This week's report also includes one larger asteroid that passed close by early this month.
[ 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: This past week three small asteroids were discovered, three others were tracked, and one was located in observations from 1991. Two of the discoveries came from LINEAR's New Mexico facility, despite a rainier-than-usual Summer monsoon season in the U.S. southwest, while Siding Spring Survey in New South Wales caught one, and eleven other observing facilities participated in the week's work.
Observations are still being published from when larger asteroid 2004 XP14 was within ten lunar distances of Earth at the beginning of the month, with Panker Observatory in Germany reporting this week.
- July 30: No observations of small asteroids are reported in the Sunday Daily Orbit Update (DOU) MPEC.
- July 29: DOU MPEC 2006-O63 on Saturday reports observation of one small asteroid. Overnight Great Shefford Observatory in England provided the first observations of 2006 OB7 beyond its discovery arc.
- July 28: Friday's DOU MPEC 2006-O53 reports observation of three small asteroids. Most interestingly,
2006 CT is reported from the Spacewatch 0.9m telescope from 15 January 1991, very early in the history of that program and automated CCD moving object detection. 2006 CT was observed for only 32 days this year, but was reported on June 2nd to have been located in Mauna Kea observations from 2004, and now has been found at a third opposition.
Klet Observatory in the Czech Republic added a day to 2006 OC7's observing arc, and the Siding Spring Survey in Australia and CEAMIG-REA in Brazil kept after Siding Spring's just-discovered 2006 OE10.
- July 27: DOU MPEC 2006-O49 on Thursday reports observation of three small asteroids: The Siding Spring Survey in New South Wales provided the first follow-up for an object only it is reported to have observed so far, 2006 OA1, adding about five days to its two-day observing arc, and also added about three days to 2006 OY4's two-day arc. And San Marcello Pistoiese and Begues observatories in Italy and Spain added about a day and a half to 2006 OC7's one-day arc.
- July 26 #2: The discovery of small asteroid 2006 OE10 has been announced, found today and confirmed alone by the Siding Spring Survey.
- July 26 #1: Wednesday's DOU MPEC 2006-O44 reports observation of two small asteroids from within or near their discovery arcs -- 2006 OB7 from Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in British Columbia and 2006 OC7 from Mt. John Observatory in New Zealand.
- July 25: The Tuesday DOU MPEC doesn't carry observations of small asteroids, but discoveries of two have been announced today. LINEAR in Massachusetts, observing from its facility in New Mexico, found 2006 OB7 and 2006 OC7 yesterday morning. Both were confirmed overnight by Great Shefford, McCarthy, and Farpoint observatories in England, Connecticut, and Kansas, and by the Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona. 2006 OB7 was also confirmed by Mt. John Observatory in New Zealand and 2006 OC7 by Eschenberg Observatory in Switzerland and CEAMIG-REA in Brazil.
- July 24: Monday's DOU MPEC 2006-O37 reports observation of one small asteroid. 2006 OK3 was tracked early yesterday by the Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona and Farpoint Observatory in Kansas.
- See news from the week of 17-23 July and from previous weeks, and you also can look up individual small asteroids.
Object Listings -- smallest objects first [ Alpha Index | 48 Hours | top ]
2006 OK3 (K06O03K) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 13 meters per JPL H=27.06, MPC H=27.1
This object was listed from 22 until 23 July 2006 as an impact risk.
JPL classifies 2006 OK3 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.000834 AU (0.32 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 0.7 lunar distances (LD) on 23 July 2006 at 1044 UT.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-O37:
Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) [G96]
2006-07-23 0546-0700, 16 pos. in MPEC 2006-O37, follow-up
2006-07-23 0818-0942, 16 pos. in MPEC 2006-O37, follow-up
Farpoint Obs. [734]
2006-07-23 0715-0729, 6 pos. in MPEC 2006-O37, follow-up
See also information from the week ending 23 July 2006.
2006 OE10 (K06O10E) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 37 meters per JPL H=24.80, MPC H=24.8
JPL classifies 2006 OE10 as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.048004 AU (18.68 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 18.7 LD on 23 July 2006.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-O47 and 2006-O53:
Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12]
2006-07-26 1228-1258, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O47, discovery (*)
2006-07-26 1428-1534, 6 pos. in MPEC 2006-O47, confirmation
2006-07-26 1711-1713, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O47, confirmation
2006-07-26 1947-1947, 1 pos. in MPEC 2006-O53, follow-up
2006-07-27 1051-1051, 1 pos. in MPEC 2006-O53, follow-up
2006-07-27 1327-1327, 1 pos. in MPEC 2006-O53, follow-up
CEAMIG-REA [I77]
2006-07-27 0247-0256, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O53, follow-up
2006 OB7 (K06O07B) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 55 meters per JPL H=23.95, MPC H=24.1
JPL classifies 2006 OB7 as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.031039 AU (12.08 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 13.3 LD on 25 July 2006.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-O40, 2006-O44,
and 2006-O63:
LINEAR [704]
2006-07-24 0522-0622, 5 pos. in MPEC 2006-O40, discovery (*)
Great Shefford Obs. [J95]
2006-07-24 2324-2327, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O40, confirmation
2006-07-28 2242-2247, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-O63, follow-up
2006-07-29 0009-0014, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-O63, follow-up
McCarthy Obs. [932]
2006-07-25 0301-0313, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O40, confirmation
Farpoint Obs. [734]
2006-07-25 0347-0403, 5 pos. in MPEC 2006-O40, confirmation
Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) [G96]
2006-07-25 0543-0609, 4 pos. in MPEC 2006-O40, confirmation
1.8m Plaskett Telescope [658{1}] coded to Dave Balam
2006-07-25 0636-0642, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O44, follow-up
Mt. John Obs. [474]
2006-07-25 0935-0939, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O40, confirmation
2006 OY4 (K06O04Y) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 66 meters per JPL H=23.55, MPC H=23.5
JPL classifies 2006 OY4 as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.086895 AU (33.81 LD),
and reports this object passes Earth at 35.0 LD on 30 July 2006.
Lowell Observatory reports 2006 OY4 has an MOID of 0.04333 AU (16.86 LD) with Mars.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-O49:
Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12]
2006-07-25 1516-1520, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-O49, follow-up
See also information from the week ending 23 July 2006.
2006 OC7 (K06O07C) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 91 meters per JPL H=22.86, MPC H=22.9
JPL classifies 2006 OC7 as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.040830 AU (15.89 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 18.3 LD on 19 July 2006.
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-O41, 2006-O44,
2006-O49, and 2006-O53:
LINEAR [704]
2006-07-24 0525-0629, 5 pos. in MPEC 2006-O41, discovery (*)
Great Shefford Obs. [J95]
2006-07-25 0029-0033, 4 pos. in MPEC 2006-O41, confirmation
Eschenberg Obs. [151]
2006-07-25 0107-0110, 6 pos. in MPEC 2006-O41, confirmation
CEAMIG-REA [I77]
2006-07-25 0130-0133, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O41, confirmation
McCarthy Obs. [932]
2006-07-25 0439-0445, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O41, confirmation
Farpoint Obs. [734]
2006-07-25 0456-0510, 4 pos. in MPEC 2006-O41, confirmation
Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) [G96]
2006-07-25 0842-0843, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-O41, confirmation
Mt. John Obs. [474]
2006-07-25 1042-1047, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O44, follow-up
San Marcello Pistoiese Obs. [104]
2006-07-25 2203-2211, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O49, follow-up
Begues Obs. [170]
2006-07-26 2343-2349, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O49, follow-up
Klet Obs. [046]
2006-07-27 2213-2227, 4 pos. in MPEC 2006-O53, follow-up
2006 CT (K06C00T) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 114 meters per JPL H=22.36, 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 0.001707 AU (0.66 LD).
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-O53:
Spacewatch 0.9m telescope [691]
1991-01-15 0804-0905, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-O53, follow-up
See also information from the week ending 4 June 2006.
2006 OA1 (K06O01A) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 119 meters per JPL H=22.27, MPC H=22.3
JPL classifies 2006 OA1 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.099911 AU (38.88 LD).
Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-O49:
Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12]
2006-07-25 1830-1836, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-O49, follow-up
See also information from the week ending 23 July 2006.
2004 XP14 (K04X14P) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]
Size estimate: 467 meters per JPL H=19.30, MPC H=19.4 -- not small
This object was listed from 11 Dec. 2004 until 17 March 2005 as an impact risk.
JPL classifies 2004 XP14 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.002495 AU (0.97 LD),
and reports this object passed Earth at 1.1 LD on 3 July 2006 at 0426 UT.
Observations are reported from the following observatory in MPEC 2006-O44:
Panker Obs. [A32]
2006-07-04 2237-2245, 4 pos. in MPEC 2006-O44, follow-up
2006-07-05 0013-0022, 4 pos. in MPEC 2006-O44, follow-up
See also information from the week ending 23 July 2006.
48+120 Hours [ Objects Listings (size order) | Object Index (alpha/xref) | top ]
Observations of seven small objects were reported during the last 168 hours:
2006 CT, 2006 OA1, 2006 OB7, 2006 OC7, 2006 OE10, 2006 OK3 & 2006 OY4, plus 2004 XP14
in MPECs:
2006-O37 time-stamped 2006 July 24, 06:06 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-O40 time-stamped 2006 July 25, 10:02 UT - 2006 OB7
2006-O41 time-stamped 2006 July 25, 10:04 UT - 2006 OC7
2006-O44 time-stamped 2006 July 26, 06:06 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-O47 time-stamped 2006 July 26, 17:38 UT - 2006 OE10
2006-O49 time-stamped 2006 July 27, 06:07 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-O53 time-stamped 2006 July 28, 06:07 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-O63 time-stamped 2006 July 29, 06:08 UT - Daily Orbit Update
2006-O65 time-stamped 2006 July 30, 06:07 UT - Daily Orbit Update
Date & times for other sources that were parsed to compile this page:
JPL Close Approaches, downloaded at 2006 July 29, 1432 UTC
JPL NEO Orbital Elements, downloaded at 2006 July 29, 1437 UTC
Lowell Observatory Orbit intersections, time-stamped 2006 Jul 30 1250:50 UTC
MPC NEA.DAT from MPC mirror, downloaded at 2006 July 29, 1424 UTC
Risk monitoring sites, as of A/CC's check at 2006 July 30, 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 12 small objects as being currently in view,
including 7 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 MB 2006-07-31 0.061231 105 22.55 28 - past obs. - (16 July)
2006 KM89 2006-08-01 0.146410 62 23.67 22 - past obs. - (21 June)
2006 OA1 2006-08-09 0.099911 119 22.27 7 - (27 July)
2006 OB7 2006-08-24 0.031039 55 23.95 5 - (29 July)
2006 MH10 2006-09-01 0.124765 122 22.22 23 - past obs. - (16 July)
2006 KK103 2006-09-01 0.139955 110 22.44 50 - past obs. - (16 July)
2006 OC7 2006-09-05 0.040830 91 22.86 4 - (28 July)
1999 LK1 2006-09-11 0.027549 128 22.11 14 - faint recov. poss. - (30 April)
54509 2006-09-15 0.000154 104 22.56 4op - aka 2000 PH5 - past obs. - (26 July)
2006 OE10 2006-09-15 0.048004 37 24.80 1 - (28 July)
2006 OY4 2006-10-03 0.086895 66 23.55 5 - (27 July)
1998 HG49 2006-12-21 0.076404 141 21.91 3op - "only 1 night" - past obs. - (16 July)
Viewing by designation order - see also Viewing by date order
Object View until MOID AU Dia H Arc Notes (calc date)
---------- ---------- -------- --- ----- --- - -----------------------
2006 OE10 2006-09-15 0.048004 37 24.80 1 - (28 July)
2006 OC7 2006-09-05 0.040830 91 22.86 4 - (28 July)
2006 OB7 2006-08-24 0.031039 55 23.95 5 - (29 July)
2006 OY4 2006-10-03 0.086895 66 23.55 5 - (27 July)
2006 OA1 2006-08-09 0.099911 119 22.27 7 - (27 July)
2006 MH10 2006-09-01 0.124765 122 22.22 23 - past obs. - (16 July)
2006 MB 2006-07-31 0.061231 105 22.55 28 - past obs. - (16 July)
2006 KK103 2006-09-01 0.139955 110 22.44 50 - past obs. - (16 July)
2006 KM89 2006-08-01 0.146410 62 23.67 22 - past obs. - (21 June)
1999 LK1 2006-09-11 0.027549 128 22.11 14 - faint recov. poss. - (30 April)
1998 HG49 2006-12-21 0.076404 141 21.91 3op - "only 1 night" - past obs. - (16 July)
54509 2006-09-15 0.000154 104 22.56 4op - aka 2000 PH5 - past obs. - (26 July)
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 |
|---|
| 2004 XP14 | A32 |
| 2006 CT | 691 |
| 2006 OA1 | E12 |
| 2006 OB7 | 474, 658, 704, 734, 932, G96, J95 |
| 2006 OC7 | 046, 104, 151, 170, 474, 704, 734, 932, G96, I77, J95 |
| 2006 OE10 | E12, I77 |
| 2006 OK3 | 734, G96 |
| 2006 OY4 | E12 |
|
| Code | Observatory | Objects Observed |
|---|
| 046 | Klet Obs. | 2006 OC7 |
| 104 | San Marcello Pistoiese Obs. | 2006 OC7 |
| 151 | Eschenberg Obs. | 2006 OC7 |
| 170 | Begues Obs. | 2006 OC7 |
| 474 | Mt. John Obs. | 2006 OB7, 2006 OC7 |
| 6581 | 1.8m Plaskett Telescope - Dave Balam | 2006 OB7 |
| 691 | Spacewatch 0.9m telescope | 2006 CT |
| 704 | LINEAR | 2006 OB7, 2006 OC7 |
| 734 | Farpoint Obs. | 2006 OB7, 2006 OC7, 2006 OK3 |
| 932 | McCarthy Obs. | 2006 OB7, 2006 OC7 |
| A32 | Panker Obs. | 2004 XP14 |
| E12 | Siding Spring Survey (SSS) | 2006 OA1, 2006 OE10, 2006 OY4 |
| G96 | Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) | 2006 OB7, 2006 OC7, 2006 OK3 |
| I77 | CEAMIG-REA | 2006 OC7, 2006 OE10 |
| J95 | Great Shefford Obs. | 2006 OB7, 2006 OC7 |
|
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