Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | WISE |
Discovery site | Earth orbit |
Discovery date | 3 January 2016 |
Designations | |
2016 AZ8 | |
NEO ·
Apollo
[1]
[2] PHA [1] [2] | |
Orbital characteristics [2] | |
Epoch 27 April 2019 ( JD 2458600.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 3.69 yr (1,347 d) |
Aphelion | 1.7895 AU |
Perihelion | 0.8516 AU |
1.3205 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.3551 |
1.52 yr (554 d) | |
99.623 ° | |
0° 38m 58.2s / day | |
Inclination | 5.5862° |
90.016° | |
318.51° | |
Known satellites | 1 [3] |
Earth MOID | 0.0295 AU (11.49 LD) |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 215±52 m [2] |
21.0 [2] | |
2016 AZ8 is a sub-kilometer asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group, at least 400 meters (1,300 feet) in diameter. [1] [3] It was first observed on 3 January 2016, by the 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. [3] The binary has a secondary-to-primary diameter ratio of at least 0.3. [3]
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] The body's 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]