2012 BX34
Near-Earth asteroid
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2012 BX34 is a small Aten asteroid that made one of the closest recorded asteroid close approaches of Earth on 27 January 2012. It passed within 0.0004371 AU (65,390 km; 40,630 mi) of Earth during its closest approach at 15:25 GMT.[6] 2012 BX34 measures around 8 meters (26 ft) across; if it had impacted in 2012, it would have been too small to pass through Earth's atmosphere intact.[7]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Catalina Sky Survey |
| Discovery date | 25 January 2012 |
| Designations | |
| Aten | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 3 | |
| Aphelion | 1.0332 AU (154.56 Gm) (Q) |
| Perihelion | 0.48892 AU (73.141 Gm) (q) |
| 0.76105 AU (113.851 Gm) (a) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.35757 (e) |
| 0.66 yr (242.5 d) | |
Average orbital speed | 1.48200135°/day |
| 211.76° (M) | |
| 1.4845°/day (n) | |
| Inclination | 10.527° (i) |
| 306.74° (Ω) | |
| 335.834° (ω) | |
| Earth MOID | 0.000288322 AU (43,132.4 km) |
| Jupiter MOID | 4.09701 AU (612.904 Gm) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | ~8 meters (26 ft)[3][4] |
| 1.80828 h (0.075345 d)[2] | |
| ~13.9[5] to 30.3 | |
| 27.6[2] | |
During its 2012 close approach to Earth, 2012 BX34 had a brightest apparent magnitude of about 13.9,[5] making it about as bright as the dwarf planet Pluto. By 25 February 2012, it had dimmed to magnitude 30.[1] During its close approach of 0.0246 AU (3,680,000 km; 2,290,000 mi) on 28 January 2014,[6] it will only reach a magnitude of about 23.[8] 2012 BX34 has been observed in more detail using radar astronomy.[9]
2012 BX34 · Sun · Earth