2006 RH120

2006 RH120
Currently in a heliocentric orbit with perihelion > 1 AU[1]
Discovery[2]
Discovered by Catalina Sky Survey (703)
Discovery date 14 September 2006
Designations
MPC designation 2006 RH120
Amor (2013)[1]
Apollo (2012)
Aten (2007)[3]
Natural satellite of Earth (temporary; 2006–2007)
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 15 January 2007 (JD 2454115.5)
Uncertainty parameter 1
Aphelion 1.0184 AU (152.35 Gm) (Q)
Perihelion 0.97882 AU (146.429 Gm) (q)
0.99862 AU (149.391 Gm) (a)
Eccentricity 0.019833 (e)
1.00 yr (364.50 d)
5.7746° (M)
0° 59m 15.504s /day (n)
Inclination 1.5261° (i)
290.52° (Ω)
177.88° (ω)
Earth MOID 0.000678666 AU (101,527.0 km)
Jupiter MOID 3.95565 AU (591.757 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions ~2–3 metres[4]
2.75 minutes,[5] 0.04583 h (2.750 min)[3]
0.1 ?
29.5[3]

    2006 RH120 is a tiny near-Earth asteroid[3] with a diameter of about 2–3 meters[4] that ordinarily orbits the Sun but makes close approaches to the Earth–Moon system around every twenty years,[6] when it can temporarily enter Earth orbit through temporary satellite capture (TSC). Most recently, it was in Earth orbit from September 2006 to June 2007.[7]

    Until given a minor planet designation on 18 February 2008,[2] the object was known as 6R10DB9, an internal identification number assigned by the Catalina Sky Survey.[5]

    Discovery

    2006 RH120 was discovered on 14 September 2006 by the 27-inch (690 mm) Schmidt camera of the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona.[8] "6R10DB9"[8] was the Catalina Sky Survey's own discovery designation for this object, which usually would only be used on the MPC's NEO Confirmation Page (NEOCP) until an IAU designation was applied, if the object was classified as a minor object. It was added on 14 September to the NEOCP and subsequently removed with the explanation that it "was not a minor planet".[9] Preliminary orbital calculations indicated it was captured by Earth's gravity from solar orbit of a period of about 11 months, which is similar to that of many spent rocket boosters dating to the Apollo program of the 1960s and early 1970s. 6R10DB was assigned the designation 2006 RH120 on 18 February 2008.[2]

    Origin

    Some controversy existed regarding the origin of the object. Upon discovery, it was not given a formal name because its size, orbit, and spectrum were consistent with the white titanium-oxide paint used on Saturn V rockets,[10] which meant it could be an artificial object. Precedents for this exist: J002E3 is currently thought to be the third-stage Saturn S-IVB booster from Apollo 12 and was in an almost identical orbit,[11] and 6Q0B44E, discovered a month earlier, was also thought to be artificial.[12] Its status as a satellite was also debated, with A. W. Harris of the Space Science Institute commenting, "Claiming some bit of fluff in a temporary looping orbit to be a ‘satellite,’ with all the baggage that term carries, is mere hype".[6][13]

    Orbit

    Orbit of 2006 RH120 during a temporary-satellite-capture event

    Analysis has shown that solar-radiation pressure is perturbing its motion perceptibly.[14] However, Paul Chodas in JPL's Solar System Dynamics Group suspects that the perturbations are consistent with expectations for a rocky object but not with old flight hardware.[14] One hypothesis is that the object is a piece of lunar rock ejected by an impact.[6] On 18 February 2008, the object was given a minor planet designation.[2]

    The object made four Earth orbits of about three months each before being ejected after the June 2007 perigee. At that perigee, it dipped inside the Moon's orbit to a distance of 276,845 kilometres (172,024 mi).[5] 2006 RH120 became an Apollo-class asteroid in June 2007.

    14 June 2007 perigee

    On 14 June 2007, 2006 RH120 made its fourth and last perigee of the most recent Earth encounter.[15] It was 0.7 lunar distances at closest, with an apparent magnitude of 18.5–19.0.

    Astronomers at JPL Goldstone in California, USA made radar astrometry measurements on 12, 14 and 17 June 2007.

    Future events

    2006 RH120 is now in solar orbit[13] as an Amor-class asteroid[1] with an orbit completely outside of Earth's orbit. By 2017, this object will be 2 AU from Earth on the other side of the Sun.[16] Systematic residuals in the positions of the object probably indicate that the model used to determine solar radiation pressure may be too simple to adequately describe its motion over a long period of time.[5] The next near-Earth encounter is in August 2028 when the object will pass Earth at a relatively low speed of 136 metres per second (304 miles per hour).[5][15] For comparison, on 13 April 2029, asteroid 99942 Apophis will pass Earth at a relative speed of 7.4 kilometres per second (17,000 miles per hour).[17] 2006 RH120 is listed as part of the Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS).[18]

    See also

    References and footnotes

    1. 1 2 3 "2006 RH120 Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
    2. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Gareth V (18 February 2008). "MPEC 2008-D12 : 2006 RH120". IAU Minor Planet Center. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Archived from the original on 9 April 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2006 RH120)" (last observation: 2007-06-22; arc: 281 days). Retrieved 30 March 2016.
    4. 1 2 Brent W. Barbee. "Accessible Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)" (PDF). 12th Meeting of the Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-12. (pg 17 for diameter)
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 Great Shefford Observatory. "2006 RH120 ( = 6R10DB9) – A second moon for the Earth?". Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
    6. 1 2 3 Bill Gray. ""Pseudo-MPEC" for 6R10DB9". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
    7. ↑ "Mystery Mini Moons: How Many Does Earth Have?". DNews.
    8. 1 2 "Distant Artificial Satellites Observation (DASO) Circular No. 68, 2006 Sept. 17, 16:59 UT". Retrieved 26 June 2007.
    9. ↑ "Major News About Minor Objects, April 18, 2007". Retrieved 27 June 2007.
    10. ↑ Spectrum measured by Carl Hergenrother and Rob Whitely of the University of Arizona.
    11. ↑ Yeomans, Don (April 2010). "Is Another Moon Possible?". Astronomy.
    12. ↑ The Guardian, Spacewatch, 6 September 2006
    13. 1 2 Roger W. Sinnott (17 April 2007). "Earth's "Other Moon"". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
    14. 1 2 Dr. Lance A. M. Benner (20 June 2007). "6R10DB9 Planning". JPL/NASA Asteroid Radar Research. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
    15. 1 2 "JPL Close-Approach Data: (2006 RH120)" (last observation: 2007-06-22; arc: 281 days). Retrieved 27 February 2010.
    16. ↑ "2006RH120 Ephemerides for 2007 to 2028". NEODyS (Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site). Retrieved 2015-02-24.
    17. ↑ "JPL Close-Approach Data: 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4)". Retrieved 2015-02-15.
    18. ↑ "NHATS Object/Trajectory Details: (2006 RH120)". Retrieved 2015-02-24.

    External links

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