2016 AZ8 asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group , at least 400 meters (1,300 feet) in diameter.[ 1] WISE telescope with precovery images found back in 2012.
The potentially hazardous asteroid is a binary system with a minor-planet moon in its orbit. The discovery was made by astronomers at Arecibo Observatory on 4 January 2019, while 2016 AZ8 was passing within 4,460,000 kilometers (0.0298 AU) of the Earth. The binary has a secondary-to-primary diameter ratio of at least 0.3.
Orbit and classification
2016 AZ8 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.85–1.8 AU once every 18 months (554 days; semi-major axis of 1.32 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.36 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic .[ 2] observation arc begins with a precovery taken at the Siding Spring Survey in July 2012, more than three years prior to its official discovery observation.[ 1]
References
External links
