(8567) 1996 HW1

1996 HW₁ was discovered on 23 April 1996 by astronomer Tom Gehrels, who was working as a part of the Spacewatch survey at Steward Observatory, Arizona, United States.^[2] The asteroid was assigned the provisional designation 1996 HW₁ by the Minor Planet Center (MPC), and its discovery was published in a Minor Planet Circular on 2 May 1996.^{[6]: 115 } Once its orbit was sufficiently determined, it was numbered (8567) by the MPC on 11 April 1998.^{[7]: 56 } As of 2025^[update], it remains unnamed.^[3]

1996 HW₁ orbits the Sun at an average distance—its semi-major axis—of 2.05 astronomical units (AU), with an orbital period of 2.93 years. It is classified as a near-Earth asteroid; because its orbit lies entirely outside Earth's orbit, it is also classified as an Amor asteroid.^[3][8] Along its orbit, its distance from the Sun varies between 1.13 AU at perihelion to 2.96 AU at aphelion due to its orbital eccentricity of 0.45. Its orbit is inclined by 8.45° with respect to the ecliptic plane.^[3]

1996 HW₁ is a contact binary object with dimensions of 3.78 by 1.64 by 1.49 kilometres (2.35 by 1.02 by 0.93 mi)^{[4]: 217 } and an equivalent mean diameter of 2.02 kilometres (1.26 mi).^{[4]: 226 } Its two lobes have an estimated mass ratio of 2:1, and are separated by a prominent neck.^{[4]: 223, 217 }

Spectroscopic observations of 1996 HW₁ show that it is classified as an Sq-type asteroid, with spectral properties between S-type asteroids and Q-type asteroids.^{[5]: 7 } It has a geometric albedo of 0.156,^[3] though its visible light albedo is higher at approximately 0.33.^{[9]: 231 } Its spectrum is significantly reddened, indicating that its surface has undergone appreciable space weathering.^{[5]: 7 }