(242450) 2004 QY2
Asteroid on an eccentric orbit
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(242450) 2004 QY2 (prov. designation: 2004 QY2) is an asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 20 August 2004 by the Siding Spring Survey at an apparent magnitude of 16.5 using the 0.5-metre (20 in) Uppsala Southern Schmidt Telescope.[2] It is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroids known to exist.[6]
| Discovery[1][2] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | SSS |
| Discovery site | Siding Spring Obs. |
| Discovery date | 20 August 2004 |
| Designations | |
| (242450) 2004 QY2 | |
| 2004 QY2 | |
| Apollo · NEO · PHA[1][3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[3] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 11.61 yr (4,242 days) |
| Aphelion | 1.6013 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.5666 AU |
| 1.0840 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.4773 |
| 1.13 yr (412 days) | |
| 123.98° | |
| 0° 52m 23.88s / day | |
| Inclination | 37.026° |
| 295.31° | |
| 104.96° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0469 AU · 18.3 LD |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 2.914±0.084 km[4] 3.320 km[5] | |
| 0.274±0.044[4] | |
| 14.7[1][3] | |
Orbit and classification
2004 QY2 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.6â1.6 AU once every 14 months (412 days; semi-major axis of 1.08 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.48 and an inclination of 37° with respect to the ecliptic.[3] The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Siding Spring.[1]
The object is a member of the Apollo asteroids, the largest subgroup of near-Earth asteroids which cross the orbit of Earth. Unlike many other members of this dynamical group, 2004 QY2 is not a Mars-crosser, as its aphelion is too small to cross the orbit of the Red Planet at 1.66 AU.[3]
Close approaches
With an absolute magnitude of 14.7, 2004 QY2 is one of the brightest potentially hazardous asteroids ever discovered (see PHA-list).[6][7] It has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0469 AU (7,020,000 km), which translates into 18.3 lunar distances.[3] On 29 July 2012, it passed Earth at a distance of 0.4314 AU (64,540,000 km; 40,100,000 mi).[3]
Sentry Risk Table
Due to its originally estimated size of 5.5 kilometers, 2004 QY2 was one of the largest objects to appear on the Sentry Risk Table.[8] It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 25 August 2004.[9]
Physical characteristics
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, 2004 QY2 has an albedo of 0.274, and it measures 2.914 and 3.320 kilometers in diameter, respectively.[4][5]
As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of 2004 QY2 has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, shape and spin axis remain unknown.[10] In addition, the body's spectral type has never been assessed.[3][10]
Numbering and naming
This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 26 June 2006.[11] As of 2018, it has not been named.[1]
