(144898) 2004 VD17

Infobox Planet
minorplanet=yes
name=(144898) mp|2004 VD|17
discovery=yes
discoverer=LINEAR
discovered=November 7, 2004
designations="none"
mp_category=Apollo asteroid,
Earth-crosser asteroid
Venus-crosser asteroid
Mars-crosser asteroid
epoch=September 21, 2006
semimajor=225.610 Gm (1.50815 AU)
perihelion=92.8 Gm (0.6204 AU)
aphelion=358.422 Gm (2.3959 AU)
eccentricity=0.588654
period=676.499 d (1.85 a)
inclination=4.223°
asc_node=224.241°
arg_peri=90.687°
mean_anomaly=33.427°
physical_characteristics=yes
dimensions=0.5-1.1 km
mass=0.13-1.8e|12 kg
density=2.0? g/cm³
gravity=0.0001-0.0003 m/s²
escape_velocity=0.0003–0.0006 km/s
spectral_type=E
abs_magnitude=18.90
albedo=0.15
temperatures=yes
temp_name1=Kelvin
mean_temp_1=~227 K

(144898) mp|2004 VD|17 (previously known by its provisional designation mp|2004 VD|17) is a near-Earth asteroid once thought to have a low but significant probability of impacting Earth in 2102. From February to May 2006 it was listed with a Torino Scale impact risk value of 2, only the second asteroid in risk monitoring history to be rated above value 1. The Torino rating was lowered to 1 after additional observations on May 20, 2006 and finally dropped to 0 on October 17, 2006.

As of the observation on December 17, 2006, JPL assigns mp|2004 VD|17 a Torino value of 0 and an impact probability of 1 in 41.667 million in the next 100 years. This value is far below the background impact rate of objects this size.

mp|2004 VD|17 was discovered on November 7, 2004 by the NASA-funded LINEAR asteroid survey. The object is estimated by NASA's Near Earth Object Program Office to be 580 meters in diameter with an approximate mass of 2.6×10¹¹ kg.

According to NeoDys (which compiles data from the IAU's Minor Planet Center), the Palermo Scale rating is currently −3.52 for the 2102 encounter, and −8.09 and −6.81 for encounters in 2103 and 2104 respectively. The ratings are based on 961 optical observations dating from February 16, 2002. JPL's Sentry System has returned similar results with a Palermo Scale rating of −4.91 for the 2102 encounter, based on 908 optical observations also dating from February 16, 2002. This continues a trend of decreasing Palermo rating with continuing observations.

ee also

* 3103 Eger
* Aubrite
* E-type asteroid
* Hungaria family
* List of noteworthy asteroids
* Asteroid deflection strategies
* Asteroid naming conventions

External links

* [http://newton.dm.unipi.it/cgi-bin/neodys/neoibo?objects:2004VD17;main mp|2004 VD|17 NEODys Object Summary]
* [http://newton.dm.unipi.it/cgi-bin/neodys/neoibo?objects:2004VD17;main mp|2004 VD|17 object data]
* [http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn8788.html New Scientist: New asteroid at top of Earth-threat list]