2002 AA29
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Discovery
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| Discovered by | LINEAR |
| Discovery date | January 9, 2002 |
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Designations
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| Alternate name | none |
| Minor planet category |
Aten asteroid |
| Epoch November 22, 2002 (JD 2452600.5) | |
| Aphelion | 151.442 Gm (1.012 AU) |
| Perihelion | 147.735 Gm (0.988 AU) |
| Semi-major axis | 149.588 Gm (1.000 AU) |
| Eccentricity | 0.012 |
| Orbital period | 365.222 d (1.00 a) |
| Average orbital speed | 29.784 km/s |
| Mean anomaly | 225.947° |
| Inclination | 10.739° |
| Longitude of ascending node | 106.849° |
| Argument of perihelion | 91.594° |
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Physical characteristics
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| Dimensions | ~0.06 km |
| Mass | ~2.3×108 kg |
| Mean density | 2 ? g/cm³ |
| Equatorial surface gravity | ~0.000 017 m/s² |
| Escape velocity | ~0.000 032 km/s |
| Rotation period | ? d |
| Albedo | 0.1 ? |
| Temperature | ~279 K |
| Spectral type | ? |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 24.08 |
Asteroid 2002 AA29 (also written 2002 AA29) is a near-Earth asteroid discovered in January 2002 by the LINEAR asteroid survey, measuring about 60 meters (200 ft) across.
On January 8, 2003, the asteroid came within approximately 5.9 Gm (3.7 million miles) of Earth, its closest approach for almost a century.
The asteroid spends most of its time following a "horseshoe orbit" that takes it near the Earth every 95 years as it follows Earth's orbit around the Sun. In about 600 years, it will appear to circle Earth in a quasi-satellite orbit. Calculations suggest 2002 AA29 was in such a quasi-satellite orbit between about 550–600 A.D.; but the object is too small to have been observed visually by the astronomers of that era.
J. Richard Gott and Edward Belbruno from Princeton University have speculated that 2002 AA29 might have formed together with Earth and Theia, the postulated planet that, according to the Giant Impact hypothesis, collided with Earth in its early history.
The orbit of the asteroid is such that it would be relatively easy for a spacecraft to retrieve rock samples from it and bring them to Earth for analysis.
[edit] Related objects
- 6Q0B44E
- 2006 RH120
- 2003 YN107 - quasi-satellite of earth
- 3753 Cruithne - quasi-satellite of earth
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- MPEC 2003-A17
- Earth coorbital asteroid 2002 AA29
- Research paper describing horseshoe orbits. Recommend starting at page 105!
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