Contents  on 4 December '20

Asteroid/Comet Connection (A/CC) Resources:

The latest A/CC news is available via framed access, RSS news feed RSS news feed, or redirection.

Navigation tips: Use the << and >> arrows on the menus for each regular section (Observers, Risks, etc.) to move to the previous and next day's news for that section. Use the Index menu item to access specific days through a calendar interface. To keep track of what's new each day, watch the Chronology section.

NEOCP Activity  on 4 December '20

The MPC's NEO Confirmation Page has 23 listings

When last checked at 2358 UTC today, the Minor Planet Center's Near Earth Object discovery Confirmation Page (NEOCP) had 23 objects listed. Of these, sixteen were "one nighters." So far The Tracking News has counted a total of 26 listings on the NEOCP today.

To learn how observers use the NEOCP, see the Practical guide on how to observe NEOCP object at Suno Observatory by Birtwhistle et al.

New MPECs  on 4 December '20

Minor Planet Electronic Circulars

As of last check at 2358 UTC, there have been two MPECs posted today from the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.


<< DOU on 4 December '20 >>  MPEC 2020-X12 - "12:12 UT" - Daily Orbit Update


MPEC 2020-X11 - "02:41 UT" - 2020 WU5

Observers  on 4 December '20

Nineteen observers appear in today's MPECs.

CodeObserver / observatory
T05ATLAS Haleakala in Hawaii, 22 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 OC8, 2017 SE19, 2013 PY6, 2011 GD60, 2004 LU3, 86039, 68359, 65717, 474554, 30825, 19764, 163014, 162173, 138852, 8567, 5587, 4503, 3908, 1981, 1943, 1685, 1036
T08ATLAS Mauna Loa in Hawaii, 13 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2017 VT12, 2013 UX14, 2004 AC, 2002 GZ8, 66272, 482505, 380359, 36284, 163902, 159402, 154330, 10115, 1580
703Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) in Arizona, 13 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 SO, 2013 PY6, 68359, 474554, 19764, 163364, 162173, 138852, 137032, 9172, 3908, 2212, 1981
807|Robert Holmes in Illinois via Cerro Tololo Inter-American Obs. in Chile, 1 in MPEC 2020-X11 -- 2020 WU5
F65.program code "." (23) via Faulkes Telescope North in Hawaii, 2 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 WK3, 2020 WA5
E89Geyserland Obs. in New Zealand, 4 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 65717, 185716, 12538, 4055
C401program code 1 via Kuban State Univ. Obs. in Russia, 1 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 159402
Z43Landehen Obs., 1 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 WK1
K92LCO Sutherland B in South Africa, 1 in MPEC 2020-X11 -- 2020 WU5
G96Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) in Arizona, 7 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 UZ3, 2020 RQ11, 2020 QU6, 2017 GO6, 85804, 194126, 144411
C51NEOWISE in Earth polar orbit, 1 in MPEC 2020-X11 -- 2020 WU5
F51Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) in Hawaii, 13 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 VN3, 2020 TZ1, 2020 QM4, 2018 GV5, 2000 PQ27, 66251, 455193, 380929, 164207, 155140, 153249, 10115, 1865
F52Pan-STARRS 2 (PS2) in Hawaii, 9 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 TG3, 2007 VX137, 2000 PQ27, 54401, 503960, 250458, 16834, 152978, 10115
H36Sandlot Obs. in Kansas, 4 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 VK1, 2020 UN2, 2020 UD, 2016 JU33
C95SATINO-1 in France, 1 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 5645
691Spacewatch 0.9m telescope in Arizona, 3 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 VT, 2020 TH5, 2020 TB12
291Spacewatch 1.8m telescope in Arizona, 7 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 WZ3, 2020 WY, 2020 WT4, 2020 WG5, 2017 CQ1, 2017 BQ93, 2006 DX
I52Steward Obs. Mt. Lemmon Station in Arizona, 34 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 2020 WY2, 2020 WY, 2020 WV, 2020 WU2, 2020 WS5, 2020 WP4, 2020 WO3, 2020 WO, 2020 WL5, 2020 WK3, 2020 WG, 2020 WF3, 2020 WF2, 2020 WE4, 2020 WE3, 2020 WE2, 2020 WD1, 2020 WC3, 2020 WB3, 2020 WB2, 2020 WA5, 2020 VX5, 2020 VQ6, 2020 VK1, 2020 UZ3, 2020 UE4, 2020 TZ1, 2020 TT7, 2020 TL10, 2020 TE7, 2020 SO, 2020 SK18, 2020 QP3, 2020 MX4
T12UH/Tholen NEO Follow-Up 2.24m Telescope in Hawaii, 1 in MPEC 2020-X12 -- 518640
For a list of all participating observatories that have Web addresses, see A/CC's Observatory Links page.

Impact Risk Monitoring  on 4 December '20

Summary Risk Table for Risk Assessments Updated Today   (last checks: NEODyS at 2358 UTC)
See the CRT page for a list of all objects rated recently as risks and our ephemerides page for a list of risk-listed objects under current observation.
The time horizon for JPL and NEODyS listings is 100 years, and both post impact solutions beyond that for some special objects.
For the latest official risk assessments, and for explanations of the terminology, see the NASA/JPL Sentry and NEODyS CLOMON2 risk pages.
0000NNN000

Object

Risk
Monitor
When
Noted
UTC
0000T0000
Year
Range

VI
#
000NN00
Prob
Cum
T0000
PS
Cum
T0000
PS
Max

T
S


Notes for Today's Latest Risk Assessments
2020 WU5NEODyS17012040-2119132.02e-07-3.41-3.790NEODyS: "Based on 24 optical observations (of which 0 are rejected as outliers) from 2020-11-29.762 to 2020-12-03.031."
JPL Sentry06002039-21191145.35392e-07-3.03-3.750JPL: Computed at 20:11 Dec. 3rd Pacific time based on 24 observations spanning 3.2685 days (2020-Nov-29.76136 to 2020-Dec-03.029828). Diameter approximately 0.540 km. from weighted mean H=19.00.
2020 WG5JPL Sentry17002086-2120110.0002152884-5.29-5.400JPL: Computed at 06:21 today Pacific time based on 44 observations spanning 6.9116 days (2020-Nov-27.251726 to 2020-Dec-04.16329). Diameter approximately 0.010 km. from weighted mean H=27.67.
2020 WT4NEODyS17012068-2119158.52e-06-6.72-6.910NEODyS: "Based on 25 optical observations (of which 0 are rejected as outliers) from 2020-11-24.191 to 2020-12-04.084."
JPL Sentry17002062-211996.552529e-06-6.83-7.070JPL: Computed at 06:29 today Pacific time based on 25 observations spanning 9.8931 days (2020-Nov-24.190527 to 2020-Dec-04.08365). Diameter approximately 0.010 km. from weighted mean H=27.71.
2020 WZ3NEODyS17012089-2120183.72e-05-5.42-5.83n/aNEODyS: "Based on 35 optical observations (of which 0 are rejected as outliers) from 2020-11-23.353 to 2020-12-04.235."
JPL Sentry17002088-2119143.4032705e-05-5.46-5.940JPL: Computed at 06:20 today Pacific time based on 35 observations spanning 10.881 days (2020-Nov-23.352624 to 2020-Dec-04.23395). Diameter approximately 0.020 km. from weighted mean H=26.20.
2019 LA2JPL Sentry06002103-211653.72864e-07-7.39-7.540JPL: Computed at 06:38 July 2nd of 2019 Pacific time based on 36 observations spanning 22.215 days (2019-Jun-04.23363 to 2019-Jun-26.448983). Diameter approximately 0.016 km. from weighted mean H=26.64.
2017 WF30JPL Sentry06002020-21199672.0071548e-06-6.01-6.960JPL: Computed at 13:42 Dec. 18th of 2019 Pacific time based on 8 observations spanning .17008 days (2017-Nov-28.27313 to 2017-Nov-28.44321). Diameter approximately 0.018 km. from weighted mean H=26.38.
2015 XPJPL Sentry06002067-206714.127e-07-6.83-6.830JPL: Computed at 08:09 April 20th of 2019 Pacific time based on 74 observations spanning 27.858 days (2015-Nov-07.24826 to 2015-Dec-05.10672). Diameter approximately 0.024 km. from weighted mean H=25.75.
2010 XQJPL Sentry06002021-2116692.06259e-07-6.62-7.310JPL: Computed at 20:02 April 8th of 2017 Pacific time based on 15 observations spanning .12618 days (2010-Dec-02.30871 to 2010-Dec-02.43489). Diameter approximately 0.031 km. from weighted mean H=25.17.

Legend: VI# = VI count, Prob Cum = cumulative probability, PS Cum/Max = cumulative/maximum Palermo Scale, TS = Torino Scale (next 100 years)

An impact solution, also known as a "virtual impactor" (VI), is not a prediction but rather a possibility derived from a variant orbit calculation that cannot be eliminated yet based on the existing data. Elimination can come quickly with just a little further observation or may take weeks or months, sometimes years. Once superceded or eliminated, a former impact solution has zero relevance to an object's risk. See Jon Giorgini's "Understanding Risk Pages" to learn more.

Chronology  on 4 December '20

Times are UTC for when items were noted or added by The Tracking News.

1701Noted that NEODyS has updated its 2020 WT4 risk assessment - see above
Noted that NEODyS has updated its 2020 WZ3 risk assessment - see above
1700Noted that JPL Sentry has updated its 2020 WG5 risk assessment - see above
Noted that JPL Sentry has updated its 2020 WT4 risk assessment - see above
Noted that NEODyS has posted 2020 WU5 as an impact risk - see above
Noted that JPL Sentry has updated its 2020 WZ3 risk assessment - see above
Grabbed MPEC 2020-X12 - Daily Orbit Update - see above
0600Noted that JPL Sentry has updated its 2010 XQ risk assessment - see above
Noted that JPL Sentry has updated its 2015 XP risk assessment - see above
Noted that JPL Sentry has updated its 2017 WF30 risk assessment - see above
Noted that JPL Sentry has updated its 2019 LA2 risk assessment - see above
Noted that JPL Sentry has posted 2020 WU5 as an impact risk - see above
Grabbed MPEC 2020-X11 - 2020 WU5 - see above