2023 NT1

2023 NT1
Discovery[1]
Discovered byATLAS South Africa
Discovery date15 July 2023
Designations
2023 NT1
NEO · Apollo
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 17 October 2024 (JD 2460600.5)
(Post-flyby orbit)
Observation arc62 days (260 obs)[2]
Aphelion2.862 AU
Perihelion0.923 AU
1.892 AU
Eccentricity0.5124
2.60 yr
187.64°
0° 22m 43.313s / day
Inclination5.78°
290.58°
316.24°
Earth MOID0.00111102 AU (166,206 km; 0.43237 LD)
Physical characteristics
30 m (98 ft)
25.04±0.377 (JPL)[2]

2023 NT1 is a near-Earth asteroid, approximately 30 meters in diameter,[3] that passed within 1/4 lunar distances on July 13, 2023.

It was not discovered until 2 days after closest approach due to coming from the daylight direction.[4][5]

The asteroid now has a 62-day observation arc, and it is known that it will pass a harmless 1.1 AU (160 million km; 430 LD) from Earth in July 2044.[6] It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 16 September 2023.

In October 2023, a group of astronomers published a preprint that analysed the circumstances of this near-Earth encounter, and proposed planetary defense measures to mitigate the danger presented by similar future incidents, using hypervelocity kinetic penetrators to reduce the approaching impactor to fragments small enough to disintegrate as they entered the atmosphere.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "MPEC 2023-O01: 2023 NT1". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "(2023 NT1) – JPL Small-Body Database Browser". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  3. ^ Leonardo De Cosmos (19 July 2023). "La Terra sfiorata da un asteroide di 30 metri, visto in ritardo - Spazio e Astronomia - Ansa.it". Agenzia ANSA (in Italian). Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  4. ^ Andrew Griffin (17 July 2023). "Huge asteroid nearly crashes into Earth – and is only spotted days later". The Independent. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  5. ^ Eric Mack. "Hotel-Sized Asteroid Undetected Until Two Days After Close Pass By Earth". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  6. ^ "Horizons Batch for 2044-07-12 Virtual Impactor". JPL Horizons. Retrieved 22 July 2023. (JPL#8/Soln.date: 2023-Jul-21)
  7. ^ B. K. Bailey; A. N. Cohen; D. Patel; P. Lubin; M. Boslough; et al. (2023). "Asteroid 2023 NT1: A Cautionary Tale". arXiv:2310.13112 [astro-ph.EP].


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