(386454) 2008 XM
Eccentric near-Earth asteroid
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(386454) 2008 XM is a highly eccentric, sub-kilometer-sized asteroid, with one of the smallest known perihelions among all minor planets. It is classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo group and was discovered on 2 December 2008, by the LINEAR program at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site in Socorro, New Mexico, United States.[2]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | LINEAR |
| Discovery site | Lincoln Lab's ETS |
| Discovery date | 2 December 2008 |
| Designations | |
| (386454) 2008 XM | |
| 2008 XM | |
| Apollo · NEO · PHA[1][2] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 5.16 yr (1,884 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.3334 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.1111 AU |
| 1.2222 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.9091 |
| 1.35 yr (494 days) | |
| 204.67° | |
| 0° 43m 45.84s / day | |
| Inclination | 5.4478° |
| 240.63° | |
| 27.357° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0048 AU · 1.9 LD |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 0.367±0.009 km[3] | |
| 0.128±0.032[3] | |
| 20.0[1] | |
Orbit and classification
The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.1â2.3 AU once every 16 months (494 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.91 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] Due to its outstanding eccentricity, it is also a Mercury-crosser, Venus-crosser and Mars-crosser.
It has the third-smallest perihelion of any numbered asteroid behind (137924) 2000 BD19 and (374158) 2004 UL.[citation needed] Its Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0047 AU (700,000 km) corresponds to only 1.9 lunar distances.[1]
Physical characteristics
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the asteroid measures 367±9 meters in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.128.[3] As of 2016, the body's composition and spectral type, as well as its rotation period and shape remains unknown.[1]
Naming
As of 2020, this minor planet remains unnamed.[2]