Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | LINEAR |
Discovery site | Lincoln Laboratory ETS |
Discovery date | 20 September 2003 (first observed only) |
Designations | |
2003 SM84 | |
NEO · Amor [1] [2] | |
Orbital characteristics [2] | |
Epoch 27 April 2019 ( JD 2458600.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 1 | |
Observation arc | 12.21 yr (4,459 d) |
Aphelion | 1.2176 AU |
Perihelion | 1.0331 AU |
1.1254 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.0819 |
1.19 yr (436 d) | |
97.681 ° | |
0° 49m 32.16s / day | |
Inclination | 2.7956° |
186.68° | |
87.374° | |
Earth MOID | 0.0516 AU (20.1022 LD) |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 86
m (est. at
0.20)
[3] 160 m (est. at 0.057) [3] |
22.7 [2] | |
(612600) 2003 SM84 is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Amor group orbiting between Earth and Mars. It was first observed by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) at the Lincoln Laboratory ETS on 20 September 2003. [1]
2003 SM84 was being considered by the European Space Agency as a candidate target for the Don Quijote mission to study the effects of impacting a spacecraft into an asteroid. [4]
2003 SM84 is an Amor asteroid – a subgroup of near-Earth asteroids that approach the orbit of Earth from beyond, but do not cross it. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.0–1.2 AU once every 14 months (436 days; semi-major axis of 1.13 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.08 and an inclination of 3 ° with respect to the ecliptic. [2]
The body's observation arc begins with its first observation by LINEAR in 2003. [1]
As of 2020, this minor planet has neither been nor named. [1]
The object's spectral type remains unknown. [2]
Using a magnitude-to-diameter conversion, 2003 SM84 measures 86 and 160 meters in diameter, based on an absolute magnitude of 22.7 and an assumed albedo of 0.20 ( S-type) and 0.057 ( C-type), respectively. [3]