2002 NY40 is a sub-kilometer near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 800 meters (2,600 feet) in diameter.[1] The contact binary with a bilobated, peanut-like shape was first observed on 14 July 2002 by the LINEAR automated system in New Mexico. On 18 August 2002, it passed Earth at a distance of 540,000 km.[3] It was observed with adaptive optics by the Midcourse Space Experiment.[4]

2002 NY40
Radar image of 2002 NY40 taken by the Arecibo Observatory in August 2002, revealing its contact binary shape
Discovery[1]
Discovered byLINEAR
Discovery siteLincoln Laboratory ETS
Discovery date14 July 2002
(first observed only)
Designations
2002 NY40
NEO · Apollo · PHA[1][2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc3.01 yr (1,099 d)
Aphelion3.5047 AU
Perihelion0.5987 AU
2.0517 AU
Eccentricity0.7082
2.94 yr (1,073 d)
231.63°
0° 20m 7.44s / day
Inclination5.8869°
145.46°
269.68°
Earth MOID0.0010 AU (0.3896 LD)
Physical characteristics
800 m
19.0[2]

Orbit and classification

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It orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.6–3.5 AU once every 2 years and 11 months (1,073 days; semi-major axis of 2.05 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.71 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "2002 NY40". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2002 NY40)" (2005-07-15 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  3. ^ The Triangle that Skimmed Past the Earth: Asteroid 2002 NY40 11 September 2007 by Fraser Cain
  4. ^ Ted Stryk @tsplanets, Twitter, 23 Aug 2019
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