(6037) 1988 EG
Near-Earth asteroid
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(6037) 1988 EG (provisional designation 1988 EG) is an eccentric, stony asteroid, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid. It belongs to the group of Apollo asteroids and measures approximately half a kilometer in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Jeff T. Alu at the U.S. Palomar Observatory, California, on 12 March 1988.[2]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | J. Alu |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 12 March 1988 |
| Designations | |
| (6037) 1988 EG | |
| 1988 EG | |
| Apollo · NEO · PHA[2] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 28.24 yr (10,315 days) |
| Aphelion | 1.9064 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.6359 AU |
| 1.2711 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.4997 |
| 1.43 yr (523 days) | |
| 261.93° | |
| 0° 41m 15.72s / day | |
| Inclination | 3.4998° |
| 182.48° | |
| 242.07° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0243 AU · 9.5 LD |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 0.399±0.027 km[3] 0.54 km (derived)[4] | |
| 2.760±0.002 h[a] | |
| 0.20 (assumed)[4] 0.37±0.05[3] | |
| S[4] | |
| 18.7[1][4] · 19.18±0.20[5] | |
Classification and orbit
An S-type asteroid, 1988 EG orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.6â1.9 AU once every 1 years and 5 months (523 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.50 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
The asteroid has an Earth minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.0243 AU (3,600,000 km). In combination with its size, this makes it a potentially hazardous asteroid. A PHA requires a MOID with Earth of less than 0.05 AU, which is about 19.5 times the distance to the Moon, and a diameter of at least 150 meters. On 27 February 2041, it will pass 0.02437 AU (3,646,000 km) from Earth. It also makes close approaches to Mars and Venus.[1]
Physical characteristics
Lightcurve
An ambiguous lightcurve was obtained through photometric observations by Czech astronomer Petr Pravec in 1998. The light-curve gave a rotation period of 2.760±0.002 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.20 in magnitude. The alternative period solution is 2.919±0.22 hours with an amplitude of 0.22 in magnitude (U=2).[a]
Diameter and albedo
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 540 meters, based on an absolute magnitude of 18.7.[4] Observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope using its Infrared Array Camera at wavelengths between 3.6 and 8.0 micrometers, gave an average diameter of 399 meters with a higher albedo of 0.37.[3]
Notes
- Pravec (1998) web: rotation period 2.760±0.002 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.20 mag. Summary figures at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) for (6037) and Pravec, P.; Wolf, M.; Sarounova, L. (1998)
