(467336) 2002 LT38
| Discovery[1][2] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | LINEAR |
| Discovery site | Lincoln Lab's ETS |
| Discovery date | 12 June 2002 |
| Designations | |
| (467336) 2002 LT38 | |
| 2002 LT38 | |
| NEO · Aten · PHA[1][2] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 14.09 yr (5,148 days) |
| Aphelion | 1.1103 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.5799 AU |
| 0.8451 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.3138 |
| 0.78 yr (284 days) | |
| 316.03° | |
| 1° 16m 7.32s / day | |
| Inclination | 6.1959° |
| 259.41° | |
| 162.73° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0344 AU (13.4 LD) |
| Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 0.236 km (calculated)[3] 0.240 km (est. at 0.20)[4] |
| 21.80±0.05 h[5][a] | |
| 0.20 (assumed)[3] | |
| S (assumed)[3] | |
| 20.5[1][3] | |
(467336) 2002 LT38, is a sub-kilometer asteroid and suspected tumbler, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Aten group, approximately 240 meters (790 ft) in diameter. It was discovered on 12 June 2002, by astronomers of the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States.[2]
Orbit and classification[edit]
2002 LT38 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.6–1.1 AU once every 9 months (284 days; semi-major axis of 0.85 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.31 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken at AMOS on 10 June 2002, two nights prior to its official discovery observation at Lincoln Lab's ETS.[2]
Close approaches[edit]
2002 LT38 has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0344 AU (5,150,000 km) which corresponds to 13.4 lunar distances.[1] It will pass at that distance during its close encounter with Earth on 27 June 2030.[1]
| Date | JPL Horizons nominal geocentric distance (AU) |
uncertainty region (3-sigma) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-Jun-24 18:28 | 0.04450 AU (6.657 million km)[1] | ±31 km[6] |
| 2030-Jun-27 23:13 | 0.03447 AU (5.157 million km)[1] | ±23 km[7] |
Physical characteristics[edit]
The asteroid is an assumed stony S-type asteroid.[3]
Rotation period[edit]
In July 2016, a first rotational lightcurve of 2002 LT38 was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner at his Palmer Divide Station in California (U82). Lightcurve analysis gave a longer-than average rotation period of 21.80 hours with a brightness variation of 1.16 magnitude (U=2+).[5][a] A high brightness amplitude typically indicates that the body has a non-spherical, elongated shape. It is also a suspected tumbler.[5]
Diameter and albedo[edit]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 0.236 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 20.5.[3]
Numbering and naming[edit]
This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 21 May 2016, after its orbit determination became sufficiently secure (M.P.C. 100286).[8] As of 2018, it has not been named.[2]
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b Lightcurve plot of (467336) 2002 LT38 by Brian Warner, Palmer Divide Station, California (2016). Rotation period 21.80±0.05 hours with a brightness amplitude of 1.16±0.05 mag. Quality Code of 2+. Summary figures at the LCDB. Observers comment: "There may be some indications of tumbling in the lightcurve, for example, the 'break' in the Fourier curve around 0.45 rotation phase".
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 467336 (2002 LT38)" (2016-07-14 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "467336 (2002 LT38)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (467336)". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 23 November 2017.
- ^ "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS NASA/JPL. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ a b c Warner, Brian D. (January 2017). "Near-Earth Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at CS3-Palmer Divide Station: 2016 July-September". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 44 (1): 22–36. Bibcode:2017MPBu...44...22W. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
- ^ "Horizons Batch for 2023-06-24 Close Approach". JPL Horizons. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022. RNG_3sigma = uncertainty range in km. (JPL#72/Soln.date: 2021-Apr-14 generates RNG_3sigma = 31 km)
- ^ "Horizons Batch for 2030-06-27 Close Approach". JPL Horizons. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022. RNG_3sigma = uncertainty range in km. (JPL#72/Soln.date: 2021-Apr-14 generates RNG_3sigma = 23 km)
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
External links[edit]
- List Of Aten Minor Planets (by designation), Minor Planet Center
- List of the Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs), Minor Planet Center
- PHA Close Approaches To The Earth, Minor Planet Center
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- (467336) 2002 LT38 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
- (467336) 2002 LT38 at ESA–space situational awareness
- (467336) 2002 LT38 at the JPL Small-Body Database
