2004 JG6

Infobox Planet | discovery=yes | physical_characteristics = yes | bgcolour=#FFFFC0
name=mp|2004 JG|6
discoverer=Brian A. Skiff / LONEOS
discovered=May 11, 2004
alt_names="none"
mp_category=Aten, Apohele,
Mercury-crosser,
Venus-crosser
epoch=October 22, 2004 (JD 2453300.5)
semimajor=94.985 Gm (0.635 AU)
perihelion=44.480 Gm (0.297 AU)
aphelion=145.491 Gm (0.973 AU)
eccentricity=0.532
period=184.798 d (0.51 a)
inclination=18.962°
asc_node=37.076°
arg_peri=352.935°
mean_anomaly=164.532°
avg_speed=34.58 km/s
dimensions=0.5-1.2 km
mass=1.3-18.0×10¹¹ kg
density=2.0? g/cm³
surface_grav=0.0001-0.0003 m/s²
escape_velocity=0.0003-0.0006 km/s
rotation=? d
spectral_type=?
abs_magnitude=19.00
albedo=0.10
single_temperature=~349 K

mp|2004 JG|6 (also written 2004 JG6) is an unusual asteroid.

It is the second known Apohele asteroid (the first being 163693 Atira), which means its entire orbit lies within that of the Earth. Even more significantly, its orbital period is less than that of Venus, making it on average the second-closest known object to the Sun, second only to Mercury. mp|2004 JG|6 has an eccentric orbit that crosses the orbits of both Mercury and Venus.

It was discovered by Brian A. Skiff of the LONEOS project.

External links

* [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2004JG6;orb=1 Orbital simulation] from JPL (Java)
* cite press release
url=http://www.lowell.edu/press_room/releases/recent_releases/2004JG6_rls.html
title = LONEOS Discovers Asteroid with the Smallest Orbit
date = May 20, 2004
publisher = Lowell Observatory