2019 BE5
Discovery [1][2]
Discovered byZwicky Transient Facility
Discovery sitePalomar Obs.
Discovery date31 January 2019
Designations
2019 BE5
NEO · Aten[3]
Orbital characteristics [3]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc0.99 yr (363 days)
Aphelion1.012 AU
Perihelion0.2079 AU
0.6101 AU
Eccentricity0.65913
0.48 yr (174.07 d)
75.347°
2° 4m 5.473s / day
Inclination1.4363°
309.027°
9.756°
Earth MOID0.00001043 AU[3]
1,560 km (970 mi)
Mercury MOID0.01246 AU[2]
Venus MOID0.00898 AU[2]
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
25–55 m (assumed albedo 0.05–0.25)[4]
24.4 (last observed)[2]
15.0 (at discovery)[1]
25.10±0.48[3]

    2019 BE5 is a sub-kilometer near-Earth asteroid classified under the Aten group. It was discovered on 31 January 2019, by the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory. The asteroid was discovered one day after it had made a close approach to Earth from a distance of 0.00784 AU (1.173 million km; 3.05 LD).

    Orbit and classification

    2019 BE5 orbits the Sun at an average distance of approximately 0.61 astronomical units (0.0913×10^9 km; 0.0567×10^9 mi), taking 0.48 years or 174 days to complete one full orbit. It has an orbital eccentricity of 0.659 and a low inclination of 1.44 degrees to the ecliptic. The orbit of 2019 BE5 extends from 0.21 AU at perihelion to 1.01 AU at aphelion, crossing the orbits of Mercury, Venus, and Earth. As a result, it frequently makes close passes to these planets.[3]

    2019 BE5 is classified as an Aten asteroid, which means that it is an Earth-crossing asteroid that has an orbital semi-major axis less than 1 AU but a aphelion distance greater than Earth's perihelion distance of 0.983 AU.[3] Its orbit has a very small minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) with Earth, estimated to be approximately 0.00001043 AU (0.00406 LD), or 1,560 km (970 mi). Despite this small Earth MOID, a possible collision with Earth in the next 100 years has been ruled out by NASA's Sentry impact prediction system.[5] With an absolute magnitude of 25.1, 2019 BE5 is too small to be classified as a potentially hazardous object.[6]

    Close approaches

    On 30 January 2019, one day prior to its discovery, 2019 BE5 made a close pass by the Moon and Earth from within 0.01 AU (3.9 LD). The asteroid made its closest approach to the Moon from a distance of 0.00830 AU (1.242×10^6 km; 3.23 LD) at 09:38 UTC, and then made its closest approach to Earth ten hours later, from a distance of 0.00784 AU (1.173×10^6 km; 3.05 LD) at 19:36 UTC.[3]

    Physical characteristics

    Given an absolute magnitude of 25.1 and an assumed geometric albedo of 0.05–0.25, 2019 BE5 is estimated to have a diameter between 25–55 metres (0.016–0.034 mi).[4]

    See also

    References

    1. 1 2 "MPEC 2019-C10 : 2019 BE5". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
    2. 1 2 3 4 "2019 BE5". Minor Planet Center. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2019 BE5" (2020-01-29 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
    4. 1 2 van Buitenen, Gideon. "2019 BE5". astro.vanbuitenen.nl. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
    5. ↑ "Earth Impact Risk Summary: 2019 BE5". Center for Near Earth Object Studies. NASA/JPL. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
    6. ↑ "PHA (Potentially Hazardous Asteroid)". Center for Near Earth Object Studies. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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