2017 FZ2
Discovery
Discovered byMt. Lemmon Survey
G. J. Leonard
(unofficial credits)
Discovery siteMount Lemmon Obs.
Discovery dateMarch 19, 2017
Designations
2017 FZ2
NEO · Apollo[1][2]
Earth crosser
Orbital characteristics[2][3][4]
Epoch September 4, 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Observation arc8 days
Aphelion1.2730773 AU (190.44965 Gm)
Perihelion0.741200 AU (110.8819 Gm)
1.0071385 AU (150.66578 Gm)
Eccentricity0.264054
1.01 yr (369.1749 d)
87.30597°
0° 58m 30.531s /day
Inclination1.81167°
185.86918°
100.32304°
Earth MOID0.0014 AU · 0.5 LD
Physical characteristics
Dimensions13–30 m[a][5]
26.7[2]

    2017 FZ2 (also written 2017 FZ2) is a micro-asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group that was a quasi-satellite of the Earth until March 23, 2017.[6]

    Discovery, orbit and physical properties

    2017 FZ2 was discovered by American astronomer Gregory Leonard on March 19, 2017, observing for the Mt. Lemmon Survey from Mount Lemmon Observatory.[7][8] Its orbit is moderately eccentric (0.26), low inclination (1.81º) and a semi-major axis of 1.007 AU.[8] Upon discovery, it was classified as an Apollo asteroid but also an Earth crosser by the Minor Planet Center. Its orbit is very chaotic but it is relatively well determined; as of September 26, 2017, its orbit is based on 52 observations (1 Doppler) spanning a data-arc of 8 days.[2] 2017 FZ2 has an absolute magnitude of 26.7 which gives a characteristic diameter of 20 m.[5]

    Quasi-satellite

    2017 FZ2 was until very recently an Earth's coorbital, the sixth known quasi-satellite of our planet and the smallest by far. Its most recent quasi-satellite episode may have started over 225 years ago and certainly ended after a close encounter with the Earth on March 23, 2017.[6]

    YORP group?

    A number of other near-Earth asteroids move in orbits similar to that of 2017 FZ2, the largest being 54509 YORP. There is an apparent excess of small bodies moving in orbits similar to that of YORP and this could be the result of mass shedding from YORP.[6]

    See also

    Notes

    • ^ This is assuming an albedo of 0.20–0.04.

    References

    1. ↑ "List Of Apollo Minor Planets". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 4 "2017 FZ2". JPL Small-Body Database. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. SPK-ID: 3771633. Retrieved September 26, 2017.(last obs: 2017-03-27)
    3. ↑ "2017 FZ2 – Summary". AstDys-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
    4. ↑ "2017 FZ2 – Summary". NEODyS-2, Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
    5. 1 2 "Absolute-magnitude conversion table (H)". NASA. September 26, 2017. Archived from the original on March 2, 2001.
    6. 1 2 3 de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl (January 21, 2018). "Asteroid 2017 FZ2 et al.: signs of recent mass-shedding from YORP?". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 473 (3): 3434–3453. arXiv:1709.09379. Bibcode:2018MNRAS.473.3434D. doi:10.1093/mnras/stx2540.
    7. ↑ Discovery MPEC
    8. 1 2 "2017 FZ2". MPC (last obs: 2017-03-27). Retrieved September 26, 2017.
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