4-10 Sept. '06 - A/CC Small Object Report

ACC's Small Object Report for 4-10 September 2006

A semi-automated report compiled on 10 September 2006 at 2359 UTC

Five small asteroids were 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 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.

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

Size estimate: 22 meters per JPL H=25.89, MPC H=25.9 JPL classifies 2006 QQ56 as an Aten and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.018772 AU (7.30 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 7.9 lunar distances (LD) on 2 Sept. 2006 at about 0419 UT. Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-R12: Great Shefford Obs. [J95] 2006-09-03 2308-2313, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-R12, follow-up See also information from the week ending 3 Sept. 2006. 2006 QV89 (K06Q89V) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 29 meters per JPL H=25.30, MPC H=25.3 This object has been listed as an impact risk since 30 Aug. 2006. JPL classifies 2006 QV89 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.000008 AU (0.00 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 7.9 LD on 5 Sept. 2006 at 1557 UT. Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPECs 2006-R12 and 2006-R37: Crni Vrh Obs. [106] 2006-09-04 0001-0015, 4 pos. in MPEC 2006-R12, follow-up Great Shefford Obs. [J95] 2006-09-04 0035-0124, 3 pos. in MPEC 2006-R12, follow-up 2006-09-08 0226-0248, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-R37, follow-up 2006-09-08 0404-0404, 1 pos. in MPEC 2006-R37, follow-up Schiaparelli Obs. [204] 2006-09-04 0303-0310, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-R12, follow-up See also information from the week ending 3 Sept. 2006. 2006 QK40 (K06Q40K) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 54 meters per JPL H=23.99, MPC H=24.0 JPL classifies 2006 QK40 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.006270 AU (2.44 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 13.1 LD on 18 Aug. 2006. Lowell Observatory reports 2006 QK40 has an MOID of 0.00373 AU (1.45 LD) with Mars. Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-R13: Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12] 2006-08-31 1253-1258, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-R13, follow-up See also information from the week ending 3 Sept. 2006. 2006 QN111 (K06QB1N) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 60 meters per JPL H=23.75, MPC H=23.8 This object has been listed as an impact risk since 31 Aug. 2006. JPL classifies 2006 QN111 as an Apollo and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.008436 AU (3.28 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 7.1 LD on 21 Aug. 2006 at 0940 UT. Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-R13: Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12] 2006-09-03 1751-1751, 1 pos. in MPEC 2006-R13, follow-up See also information from the week ending 3 Sept. 2006. 2006 QA (K06Q00A) [ JPL Orbit Viewer | NEODyS object home | news | viewing | index | top ]

Size estimate: 78 meters per JPL H=23.20, MPC H=23.2 JPL classifies 2006 QA as an Amor and calculates an Earth MOID of 0.058069 AU (22.59 LD), and reports this object passed Earth at 24.9 LD on 24 Aug. 2006. Lowell Observatory reports 2006 QA has an MOID of 0.8312 AU (323.4 LD) with Jupiter. Observations are reported from the following observatories in MPEC 2006-R12: Siding Spring Survey (SSS) [E12] 2006-09-03 1731-1736, 2 pos. in MPEC 2006-R12, follow-up See also information from the week ending 27 Aug. 2006.

48+120 Hours [ Objects Listings (size order) | Object Index (alpha/xref) | top ]

Observations of five small objects were reported during the last 168 hours: 2006 QA, 2006 QK40, 2006 QN111, 2006 QQ56 & 2006 QV89 in MPECs: 2006-R12 time-stamped 2006 Sept. 5, 06:09 UT - Daily Orbit Update 2006-R13 time-stamped 2006 Sept. 6, 06:10 UT - Daily Orbit Update 2006-R37 time-stamped 2006 Sept. 9, 06:06 UT - Daily Orbit Update Date & times for other sources that were parsed to compile this page: JPL Close Approaches, downloaded at 2006 Sept. 9, 1500 UTC JPL NEO Orbital Elements, downloaded at 2006 Sept. 9, 1506 UTC Lowell Observatory Orbit intersections, time-stamped 2006 Sep 10 1342:12 UTC MPC NEA.DAT from MPC mirror, downloaded at 2006 Sept. 9, 1500 UTC Risk monitoring sites, as of A/CC's check at 2006 Sept. 10, 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 20 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) ---------- ---------- -------- --- ----- --- - ----------------------- 1999 LK1 2006-09-11 0.027513 129 22.09 2op - past obs. - (3 Aug.) 2006 QZ57 2006-09-11 0.034083 95 22.75 6 - was risk listed - past obs. - (3 Sept.) 2006 QK33 2006-09-12 0.049612 62 23.68 4 - was risk listed - past obs. - (31 Aug.) 2006 QV89 2006-09-12 0.000008 29 25.30 6 - risk listed - (5 Sept.) 2006 OE10 2006-09-13 0.047694 35 24.94 34 - past obs. - (30 Aug.) 54509 2006-09-15 0.000154 104 22.56 4op - aka 2000 PH5 - past obs. - (26 July) 2006 QK40 2006-09-17 0.006270 54 23.99 6 - (6 Sept.) 2005 QQ87 2006-09-18 0.079408 95 22.76 10 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 2006 QN111 2006-09-18 0.008436 60 23.75 7 - risk listed - (6 Sept.) 2006 QB58 2006-09-19 0.100415 56 23.89 3 - was risk listed - past obs. - (1 Sept.) 2006 OY4 2006-09-30 0.086163 65 23.57 32 - past obs. - (23 Aug.) 2006 QX5 2006-10-01 0.148946 58 23.83 12 - past obs. - (1 Sept.) 2002 TD58 2006-10-03 0.101541 84 23.02 25 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 1998 VD32 2006-10-06 0.029901 124 22.19 12 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 2006 QA 2006-10-07 0.058069 78 23.20 18 - (5 Sept.) 1999 RJ33 2006-10-10 0.026859 108 22.49 16 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 2004 SC56 2006-10-19 0.011296 92 22.84 13 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 2006 QQ56 2006-10-19 0.018772 22 25.89 10 - (5 Sept.) 2002 FD6 2006-11-06 0.003677 121 22.23 15 - (16 July) 1998 HG49 2006-12-21 0.076404 141 21.91 3op - "only 1 night" - past obs. - (16 July) Coming into view soon: 2002 TZ57 2006-10-17 0.042026 51 24.12 7 - >16 Sept., bright recov. poss. - (30 Aug.) Viewing by designation order - see also Viewing by date order Object View until MOID AU Dia H Arc Notes (calc date) ---------- ---------- -------- --- ----- --- - ----------------------- 2006 QN111 2006-09-18 0.008436 60 23.75 7 - risk listed - (6 Sept.) 2006 QV89 2006-09-12 0.000008 29 25.30 6 - risk listed - (5 Sept.) 2006 QB58 2006-09-19 0.100415 56 23.89 3 - was risk listed - past obs. - (1 Sept.) 2006 QZ57 2006-09-11 0.034083 95 22.75 6 - was risk listed - past obs. - (3 Sept.) 2006 QQ56 2006-10-19 0.018772 22 25.89 10 - (5 Sept.) 2006 QK40 2006-09-17 0.006270 54 23.99 6 - (6 Sept.) 2006 QK33 2006-09-12 0.049612 62 23.68 4 - was risk listed - past obs. - (31 Aug.) 2006 QX5 2006-10-01 0.148946 58 23.83 12 - past obs. - (1 Sept.) 2006 QA 2006-10-07 0.058069 78 23.20 18 - (5 Sept.) 2006 OE10 2006-09-13 0.047694 35 24.94 34 - past obs. - (30 Aug.) 2006 OY4 2006-09-30 0.086163 65 23.57 32 - past obs. - (23 Aug.) 2005 QQ87 2006-09-18 0.079408 95 22.76 10 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 2004 SC56 2006-10-19 0.011296 92 22.84 13 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 2002 TD58 2006-10-03 0.101541 84 23.02 25 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 2002 TZ57 2006-10-17 0.042026 51 24.12 7 - >16 Sept., bright recov. poss. - (30 Aug.) 2002 FD6 2006-11-06 0.003677 121 22.23 15 - (16 July) 1999 RJ33 2006-10-10 0.026859 108 22.49 16 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 1999 LK1 2006-09-11 0.027513 129 22.09 2op - past obs. - (3 Aug.) 1998 VD32 2006-10-06 0.029901 124 22.19 12 - faint recov. poss. - (16 July) 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

E12

E12

E12

J95