2009 DD45

2009 DD45
2009 DD45
Designations
Minor planet
category		 Apollo
Epoch 23 July 2010 (JD 2455400.5)
Aphelion 1.495274 AU
Perihelion .98652105 AU
Semi-major axis 1.240897 AU
Eccentricity .204994
Orbital period 504.896 days (1.38233 a)
Average orbital speed .713018 °/d
Mean anomaly 352.825 °
Inclination 13.74520 °
Longitude of ascending node 161.961802 °
Argument of perihelion 13.8840 °
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 0.019±0.004 km
Absolute magnitude (H) 25.8 mag

2009 DD45 is a small Apollo asteroid[1] that passed near Earth at an altitude of 63,500 km (39,500 mi) on 2 March 2009 at 13:44 UTC. It was discovered by Australian astronomers at the Siding Spring Observatory on 27 February 2009, only three days before its closest approach to the Earth.[2][3] Its estimated diameter is between 15 and 23 metres.[1] This is about the same size as a hypothetical object that could have caused the Tunguska event in 1908.[4]

BBC News Online cites the minimum distance as 72,000 km (45,000 mi) (about 1/5 lunar distances).[4][5] 2009 DD45 passed farther away (40 thousand miles versus 4 thousand miles) but was substantially larger than 2004 FU162, a small asteroid about 6 m (20 ft) across which came within about 6,500 km (4,000 mi) in 2004,[4] and is more similar in size to 2004 FH. Some scientists speculate that this near-Earth asteroid could return because of the Earth's gravitational pull;[6] some predict the next close encounter of 2009 DD45 with Earth's orbit will be in 2067.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c "JPL Small-Body Database Browser (2009 DD45)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. last obs. used 2009-03-06. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2009%20DD45;orb=1. Retrieved 2010-09-26. 
  2. ^ Kelly Beatty (2009-03-01). "Space Rock 2009 DD45 Buzzes Earth". Sky & Telescope. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/40504617.html. Retrieved 2009-03-04. 
  3. ^ Victoria Jaggard (2009-03-02). "Surprise Asteroid Just Buzzed Earth". National Geographic Society. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090302-asteroid-earth.html. Retrieved 2009-03-04. 
  4. ^ a b c "Space rock makes close approach". BBC News Online. 2009-03-03. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7921279.stm. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
  5. ^ Scientific American, May 2009 issue, listed the minimum distance as 72,200 km (p. 26)
  6. ^ Ben Sandilands (2009-03-02). "Sky Not Falling, Just Passing Quite Close". Crikey. http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20090302-The-intruder.html. Retrieved 2009-03-04. 
  7. ^ Buzzed, Scientific American, May 2009, p. 26

External links


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