28 March '04 Major News about Minor Objects

Major News for 28 March 2004

Small objects
Discovery & follow-up 22-28 March

It was another banner week for observing small objects, including seven discoveries and another discovery from the week before observed further and newly classified as having an absolute magnitude of greater than 22.0. Eight more small objects were tracked, and David Tholen's University of Hawaii team reported observations from last October that extended 2003 SN214 observing arc from nine to 34 days.

All the discoveries were made by LINEAR in New Mexico, with the exception of the week's most famous object, 2004 FY15, which was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) in Arizona.

A total of 27 facilities participated in this week's small object observing, led by 19 reports from LINEAR including discoveries, and 20 sets of confirmation and follow-up observations from Great Shefford Observatory in England. (For a glimpse of Peter Birtwhistle in action, see his 2004 FK5 page, new today.) A nice surprise is finding the Telescopes in

Education (TIE) robotic telescope at Mt. Wilson in the credits for tracking 2004 FA.

JPL's Close Approaches page shows a busy neighborhood last week. 2004 FA5 flew by at 10.2 lunar distances (LD) on Monday, 2004 FA at 6.6 LD Friday, 2004 FK5 at 5.7 LD Tuesday, 2004 FN8 at 4.8 LD Wednesday, and, of course, 2004 FY15 at 0.6 LD yesterday. But nothing close yet for this next week.

<< previous report | skip table | Small objects table >>

If an asteroid's orbit brings it to within 0.05 AU of Earth's orbit, it is categorized as "potentially hazardous" unless it has an absolute magnitude H greater than 22.0, which corresponds to a diameter on the order of 135 meters/yards. Larger H is dimmer, thus smaller. And 0.05 astronomical units (AU) is about 19.5 times the distance between Earth and Moon (0.00256 AU).

Notes: Diameters in the following observation summary table are rough best estimates from a standard but very inexact H-to-size formula using H (absolute magnitude) from the JPL NEO Orbital Elements page, source also for Earth MOID (minimum orbital intersection). Other planetary MOIDs are from Lowell Observatory. Current Minor Planet Center H is also given, along with the original H from each object's discovery MPEC. Priorities and visibilities are from the European Spaceguard Central Node (SCN).

Small objects – panel 2/2 (table)

Major News for 28 March 2004

Small object observation summary for 22-28 March

H = absolute magnitude (brightness), from which size is roughly estimated — m/yd = meters/yards — [cross index]
All objects had observations reported last week. Those on a light-blue background had observations from only before the week.

Object	Estimated diameter	JPL H	MPC H	Discovery H in MPEC	Earth MOID	European Spaceguard Central Node priority/visibility/campaign
2004 FN8 Apollo	13 m/yd	27.03	26.9	26.9 2004-F58	0.00953 AU	Urgent, visibility ends 13 Apr.
2004 FN8 Apollo	NEW: 2004 FN8 was discovered on 23 March and confirmed two days later by LINEAR, and was announced in MPEC 2004-F58 of 25 March. It was also observed on 25 March by Great Shefford Obs. It has an MOID of 0.045 AU with Mars, and flew past Earth at 4.8 LD on March 24th.
2004 FK5 Apollo	14 m/yd	26.94	26.8	26.8 2004-F53	0.01319 AU	Urgent, visibility ends 2 Apr.
2004 FK5 Apollo	NEW: 2004 FK5 was discovered on 22 March and confirmed the next day by LINEAR, and was announced in MPEC 2004-F53 of 24 March. It was also observed on 23, 24, and 25 March by Great Shefford Obs. (see Peter Birtwhistle's 2004 FK5 page). On March 23rd it flew past Earth at 5.7 LD.
2004 FH Aten has impact solutions	18 m/yd	26.42	25.7	25.7 2004-F24	0.00008 AU
2004 FH Aten has impact solutions	2004 FH was reported this last week as observed on 18 March by Sormano Obs. and Auckland Obs. It has an MOID of 0.009 AU with Venus and is now out of view, having been last reported from March 19th.
2004 FY15 Apollo	21 m/yd	26.06	26.1	26.1 2004-F66	0.00131 AU	Urgent, visibility ends 30 March
2004 FY15 Apollo	NEW: 2004 FY15 was discovered on 26 March by the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS), was confirmed on 26 March by Sabino Canyon Obs., Robert Hutsebaut via New Mexico Skies, and Obs. Astronomico de Mallorca (OAM), and was announced in MPEC 2004-F66 of 26 March. This object was also observed yesterday by CSS before making the eleventh-closest observed Earth flyby at 0.6 LD (see Friday cover and report). It has an MOID of 0.035 AU with Mars.
2004 FY3 Apollo	33 m/yd	25.08	25.3	25.0 2004-F42	0.00492 AU	Necessary, visibility ends 9 Apr.
2004 FY3 Apollo	2004 FY3 was observed on 23 March by Tenagra II Obs.
2004 FB16 Amor	33 m/yd	25.04	25.7	25.7 2004-F68	0.05087 AU
2004 FB16 Amor	NEW: 2004 FB16 was discovered on 23 March by LINEAR, was confirmed on 26 March by LINEAR and 27 March by Desert Moon Obs., and was announced in MPEC 2004-F68 of 27 March. This object was also observed on 27 March by LINEAR.
2004 FA5 Apollo	37 m/yd	24.83	24.5	24.8 2004-F50	0.02407 AU
2004 FA5 Apollo	NEW: 2004 FA5 was discovered on 20 March and confirmed two days later by LINEAR, and was announced in MPEC 2004-F50 of 23 March. It was also observed on 23 March by Great Shefford Obs. and Powell Obs., and on 24 March by Great Shefford Obs. It has an MOID of 0.039 AU with Mars, and flew past Earth at 10.2 LD on March 22nd.
2004 FM4 Apollo	44 m/yd	24.42	24.9	24.1 2004-F46	0.01090 AU	Urgent, visibility ends 10 Apr.
2004 FM4 Apollo	NEW: 2004 FM4 was discovered on 19 March by LINEAR, was confirmed on 20 March by LINEAR and 21 March by Great Shefford Obs., and was announced in MPEC 2004-F46 of 22 March. This object was also observed on 23 March by Powell Obs. It has an MOID of 0.010 AU with Mars.
2004 ER21 Aten	47 m/yd	24.29	24.4	24.2 2004-F16	0.03945 AU	Necessary, visibility ends 11 Apr.
2004 ER21 Aten	2004 ER21 was observed on 20, 22, and 25 March by Great Shefford Obs. (see Tuesday cover image), on 21 March by Sandlot Obs., and on 22 March by Tenagra II Obs. It has an MOID of 0.019 AU with Venus.
2004 FK2 Amor	50 m/yd	24.14	24.3	24.6 2004-F38	0.03681 AU	Necessary, visibility ends 18 Apr.
2004 FK2 Amor	2004 FK2 was observed on 19 March by Modra Obs. and Andrushivka Obs., on 20 March by LINEAR and Great Shefford Obs., on 21 March by Stony Ridge Obs., on 22 March by Powell Obs. and Tenagra II Obs., on 23 March by Powell Obs., on 24 March by Great Shefford Obs., and on 26 March by Great Shefford Obs.
2004 EU22 Apollo	62 m/yd	23.67	23.7	23.7 2004-F22	0.00801 AU	Useful, visibility ends 25 May
2004 EU22 Apollo	2004 EU22 was observed on 20 March by Egan Obs., Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs., Consell Obs., and Begues Obs., on 21 March by Rodeno Obs., Egan Obs., and Sandlot Obs., on 22 March by Tenagra II Obs., on 23 March by CSS, and on 25 March by Great Shefford Obs.
2004 FE4 Amor	76 m/yd	23.25	23.7	23.5 2004-F45	0.07606 AU	Necessary, visibility ends 24 Apr.
2004 FE4 Amor	2004 FE4 was observed on 20, 21, and 23 March by LINEAR, and on 25 March by Desert Moon Obs.
2004 FD Apollo	82 m/yd	23.07	23.0	23.1 2004-F19	0.01580 AU
2004 FD Apollo	2004 FD was reported this last week as observed on 20 March by the Spacewatch 1.8m telescope and on 21 March by Stony Ridge Obs. It has MOIDs of 0.024 AU with Venus and 0.013 AU with Mars.
2004 FA Apollo	83 m/yd	23.05	23.2	23.4 2004-F10	0.01667 AU	Urgent, visibility ends 30 March
2004 FA Apollo	2004 FA was observed on 20, 21, 22, and 23 March by LINEAR, on 22, 24, and 25 March by Great Shefford Obs., on 20 and 22 March by McCarthy Obs., on 20 March by LONEOS and with the Spacewatch 1.8m telescope, on 21 March by Begues Obs., Rodeno Obs., Sandlot Obs., and Stony Ridge Obs., on 22 March by Tenagra II Obs. and Tentlingen Obs., on 23 March by Powell Obs., and on 25 March by TIE Mt. Wilson and Linhaceira Obs. It flew past Earth at 6.6 LD on March 26th.
2003 SN214 Apollo	87 m/yd	22.94	22.7	23.3 2003-S77	0.07436 AU
2003 SN214 Apollo	2003 SN214 was reported this last week as observed on 25 Oct. 2003 by David Tholen's University of Hawaii team at Mauna Kea, adding 25 days to what had been a nine-day observing arc. It has an MOID of 0.042 AU with Mars.
2004 FP4 Amor	92 m/yd	22.82	23.3	23.3 2004-F47	0.05295 AU	Necessary, visibility ends 19 Jul.
2004 FP4 Amor	NEW: 2004 FP4 was discovered on 20 March by LINEAR, was confirmed on 21 March by Tenagra II Obs. and 22 March by Great Shefford Obs., and was announced in MPEC 2004-F47 of 22 March. This object was also observed on 22 March by LINEAR and Tenagra II Obs. and on 23 March by LINEAR. It has an MOID of 0.009 AU with Mars.
2004 EO20 Amor	132 m/yd	22.04	22.3	21.6 2004-F14	0.15894 AU	Necessary, visibility ends 25 May
2004 EO20 Amor	Almost NEW: 2004 EO20 was discovered last week but its magnitude didn't fall below H=22.0 until this week. It was discovered by LINEAR on March 15th and was confirmed the next day by Table Mountain Obs., KLENOT, and Ondrejov Obs. On the 17th it was announced in MPEC 2004-F14 and KLENOT observed it again. It was observed this week by Tenagra II Obs. on the 22nd and with the Spacewatch 1.8m telescope on the 23rd.
2004 EH1 Apollo	135 m/yd	22.00	22.3	22.3 2004-E46	0.03659 AU	Necessary, visibility ends 16 Apr.
2004 EH1 Apollo	2004 EH1 was observed on 15 March by Linhaceira Obs., on 20 March with the Spacewatch 0.9m telescope, on 21 March by Sandlot Obs., on 23 March by LINEAR and Powell Obs., and on 25 March by Begues Obs. (see yesterday's cover image).
2004 EK1 Apollo	141 m/yd	21.91	22.0	22.1 2004-E48	0.03504 AU	Useful, visibility ends 13 May
2004 EK1 Apollo	2004 EK1 was observed on 21, 22, and 25 March by Great Shefford Obs.

Small object observation cross index [table top]

Object	Observed by MPC code
2003 SN214	568
2004 EH1	170, 649, 691, 704, 938 & H36
2004 EK1	J95
2004 EO20	291 & 926
2004 ER21	926, H36 & J95
2004 EU22	170, 176, 379, 703, 926, 939, H36, H72 & J95
2004 FA	170, 291, 649, 671, 699, 704, 926, 932, 938, 939, A16, G73, H36 & J95
2004 FA5	649, 704 & J95
2004 FB16	448 & 704
2004 FD	291 & 671
2004 FE4	448 & 704
2004 FH	467 & 587
2004 FK2	118, 649, 671, 704, 926, A50 & J95
2004 FK5	704 & J95
2004 FM4	649
2004 FN8	704 & J95
2004 FP4	704, 926 & J95
2004 FY3	926
2004 FY15	620, 703, 854 & H06

Code	Observatory	Objects observed (days)
118	Modra Obs.	2004 FK2
170	Begues Obs.	2004 EH1, 2004 EU22 & 2004 FA
176	Consell Obs.	2004 EU22
291	Spacewatch 1.8m tel.	2004 EO20, 2004 FA & 2004 FD
379	Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs.	2004 EU22
448	Desert Moon Obs.	2004 FB16 & 2004 FE4
467	Auckland Obs.	2004 FH
568	Mauna Kea (Tholen+)	2003 SN214
587	Sormano Obs.	2004 FH
620	Obs. Astr. de Mallorca	2004 FY15(2)
649	Powell Obs.	2004 EH1, 2004 FA, 2004 FA5, 2004 FK2(2) & 2004 FM4
671	Stony Ridge Obs.	2004 FA, 2004 FD & 2004 FK2
691	Spacewatch 0.9m tel.	2004 EH1
699	LONEOS	2004 FA
703	Catalina Sky Survey	2004 EU22 & 2004 FY15(2)
704	LINEAR	2004 EH1, 2004 FA(4), 2004 FA5, 2004 FB16(3), 2004 FE4(3), 2004 FK2, 2004 FK5(2), 2004 FN8(2) & 2004 FP4(2)
854	Sabino Canyon Obs.	2004 FY15
926	Tenagra II Obs.	2004 EO20, 2004 ER21, 2004 EU22, 2004 FA, 2004 FK2, 2004 FP4 & 2004 FY3
932	McCarthy Obs.	2004 FA(2)
938	Linhaceira Obs.	2004 EH1 & 2004 FA
939	Rodeno Obs.	2004 EU22 & 2004 FA
A16	Tentlingen Obs.	2004 FA
A50	Andrushivka Obs.	2004 FK2
G73	TIE Mt. Wilson	2004 FA
H06	Hutsebaut/N.M. Skies	2004 FY15
H36	Sandlot Obs.	2004 EH1, 2004 ER21, 2004 EU22 & 2004 FA
H72	Egan Obs.	2004 EU22(2)
J95	Great Shefford Obs.	2004 EK1(3), 2004 ER21(3), 2004 EU22, 2004 FA(3), 2004 FA5(2), 2004 FK2(3), 2004 FK5(3), 2004 FN8 & 2004 FP4