2011 MD

Asteroid in the solar system February 2018 yes 2011 MD #FFC2E0 PIA18453-Asteroid2011MD-SpitzerSpaceTelescope-IRAC-Feb2014.jpg 2011 MD imaged by Spitzer in February 2014 LINEAR Lincoln Lab's ETS 2011 June 22(first observed only) 2011 MD NEOApolloAmor 13 July 2011 (JD 2455755.5) 20 2.65 yr (967 days) 1.1031 AU 1.0161 AU 1.0596 AU 0.0411 1.09 yr (398 days) 11.051° 0.9037 ms / day 2.5624° 273.96° 4.6748° 0.0003 AU (0.1 LD) 6 m (estimate) 1 g/cm3 (est. rubble pile) 0.3 0.1937 h 28.0 2011 MD is a bright micro-asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo and Amor group, respectively. On 27 June 2011, at around 17:00 UTC (13:00 EDT), the object passed exceptionally close to Earth's surface at a distance of approximately 12000 km mi -2 us, roughly the diameter of the Earth. Description thumb|left|2011 MD on 26 June 2011 Although 2011 MD was initially believed to be space junk, subsequent observations confirmed that it is an asteroid. A few hours before the asteroid's nearest approach in 2011, it appeared close to the Sun, so observations were possible for only a brief period. Backyard astronomers were able to observe it with telescopes from Australia, southern Africa, and the Americas. 2011 MD was discovered on 22 June 2011, by astronomers of the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) at the U.S. Lincoln Laboratory Experimental Test Site in Socorro, New Mexico, by a pair of robotic telescopes. According to original rough estimates, the asteroid's length was between 10 and 45 m ft -1 us. However, according to the more recent absolute magnitude (H) measurement of 28.1 and its albedo of 0.3, the asteroid is closer to 6 meters or 20 feet in diameter. Emily Baldwin of Astronomy Now said that there was no threat of collision, and should the asteroid enter Earth's atmosphere, it would "mostly burn up in a brilliant fireball, possibly scattering a few meteorites", causing no likely harm to life or property on the ground. The 27 June 2011 close approach to Earth increased the orbital period of 2011 MD from 380 days to 396 days. During close approach the asteroid passed Earth at a relative speed of 6.7 km/s with a geocentric eccentricity of 1.1. 2011 MD was observed by the Spitzer Space Telescope in February 2014 and estimated to be 6 m 0 us in diameter. The asteroid is a porous rubble pile with a density similar to water. On 19 June 2014, NASA reported that asteroid 2011 MD was a prime candidate for capture by the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) in the early 2020s. ParameterEpoch aphelion(Q) perihelion(q) Semi-majoraxis(a) eccentricity(e) Period(p) inclination(i) Longitudeascendingnode(Ω) Meananomaly(M) Argumentofperihelion(ω) UnitsAU — (days) (°)Pre-flyby 2011-Jun-01 1.043 1.006 1.025 0.01804 379.1 2.739° 97.79° 269.8° 244.3° Post-flyby 2011-Aug-01 1.097 1.016 1.056 0.03875 396.9 2.477° 273.0° 29.09° 4.734° Gallery left horizontal 900 Trajectory of near-Earth asteroid 2011 MD 1.gif Trajectory of 2011 MD projected onto the Earth's orbital plane. Note, from this viewing angle, the asteroid passes underneath the Earth. Trajectory of near-Earth asteroid 2011 MD 2.gif Trajectory of 2011 MD from the general direction of the Sun. Spacious Structure of Asteroid 2011 MD (Artist's Concept).jpg Artist's concept of spacious structure of asteroid 2011 MDThe Spacious Structure of Asteroid 2011 MD (Artist's Concept) https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia18456-the-spacious-structure-of-asteroid-2011-md-artists-concept NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) 13 April 2022 left See also Asteroid capture Asteroid Redirect Mission References 30em 2014-02-12 last obs. JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2011 MD) https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=3568303;cad=1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory 7 February 2018 2011 MD Minor Planet Center https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2011+MD 7 February 2018 MPEC 2011-M23 : 2011 MD IAU Minor Planet Center 2011-06-23 http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K11/K11M23.html 2013-01-05 (K11M00D) Don Yeomans Paul Chodas amp http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news172.html Bend it Like Beckham! Small Asteroid to Whip Past Earth on June 27, 2011 NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office June 23, 2011 June 26, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110704093604/http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news172.html 4 July 2011 dead http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110627-asteroid-earth-close-pass-weiss-moon-space-science/ https://web.archive.org/web/20110628180228/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110627-asteroid-earth-close-pass-weiss-moon-space-science/ dead 28 June 2011 Asteroid Just Buzzed Earth—Came Closer Than the Moon Sky & Telescope observing blog http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/124430479.html Asteroid To Buzz Earth Monday, June 27th Tony Flanders June 23, 2011 June 27, 2011 October 2026 InternetArchiveBot Skymania: Astronomy and space guide http://www.skymania.com/wp/2011/06/incoming-new-asteroid-will-scrape-past.html Incoming! Another asteroid to skim by Paul Sutherland June 23, 2011 June 26, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110701112135/http://www.skymania.com/wp/2011/06/incoming-new-asteroid-will-scrape-past.html 1 July 2011 dead http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-195 NASA Announces Latest Progress in Hunt for Asteroids NASA JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2014-06-19 Physical properties of near-earth asteroid 2011 MD 1406.5253 Mommert, M. 2014 Astrophys. J. 789 1 L22 etal 2014ApJ...789L..22M 10.1088/2041-8205/789/1/L22 67851874 Borenstein Seth Rock that whizzed by Earth may be grabbed by NASA http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140619/us-sci-nasa-asteroid-4e7bba0551.html June 19, 2014 AP News June 20, 2014 21 June 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140621060059/http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140619/us-sci-nasa-asteroid-4e7bba0551.html dead External links Encounter animations https://web.archive.org/web/20180627144706/http://orbit.psi.edu/~tricaric/2011MD.html 27 June 2018 (Pasquale Tricarico) 2011+MD 2011MD # # Category:Minor planet object articles (unnumbered) # 20110627 20110622