2018 FC4 is a small asteroid and Mars trojan orbiting near the L5 point of Mars (60 degrees behind Mars on its orbit).[2]

2018 FC4
Discovery
Discovered byMt. Lemmon Survey
Discovery date21 March 2018
Designations
2018 FC4
Martian L5 Martian L5
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc790 days (2.16 yr)
Aphelion1.5498684 AU (231.85701 Gm)
Perihelion1.497823 AU (224.0711 Gm)
1.5238457 AU (227.96407 Gm)
Eccentricity0.017077
1.88 yr (687.0841 d)
4.660°
0° 31m 26.232s /day
Inclination22.1437°
187.55390°
52.009°
Earth MOID0.507683 AU (75.9483 Gm)
Jupiter MOID3.41333 AU (510.627 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions200 m
0.5-0.05 (assumed)
21.3

Discovery, orbit and physical properties

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2018 FC4 was first observed on 21 March 2018 by the Mt. Lemmon Survey, but it had already been imaged (but not identified as an asteroid) by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope system at Haleakala on the previous night.[3] Its orbit is characterized by very low eccentricity (0.017), moderate inclination (22.1°) and a semi-major axis of 1.52 AU.[3] Upon discovery, it was classified as Mars-crosser by the Minor Planet Center. Its orbit is reasonably well determined as it is currently (January 2021) based on 35 observations with a data-arc span of 790 days.[1] 2018 FC4 has an absolute magnitude of 21.3 which gives a characteristic diameter of 200 m.[1]

Mars trojan and orbital evolution

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Recent calculations indicate that it is a stable L5 Mars trojan with a libration period of 1300 yr and an amplitude of 20°.[2] These values are similar to those of 5261 Eureka and related objects and it may be a member of the so-called Eureka family.

Mars trojan

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L4 (leading):

L5 (trailing):

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2018 FC4)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl (March 2021). "Using Mars co-orbitals to estimate the importance of rotation-induced YORP break-up events in Earth co-orbital space". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 501 (4): 6007–6025. arXiv:2101.02563. Bibcode:2021MNRAS.501.6007D. doi:10.1093/mnras/stab062.
  3. ^ a b MPC data on 2018 FC4
Further reading
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