2017 YE5
2017 YE5 is a binary pair of asteroids of approximately equal size and mass, each about 0.9 km (0.56 mi) in diameter. Classified as a near-Earth asteroid and potentially hazardous object of the Apollo group, 2017 YE5 was discovered by amateur astronomer Claudine Rinner at the Oukaïmeden Observatory on 21 December 2017. On 21 June 2018, the pair of asteroids passed within 15.5 lunar distances or approximately 6 million km (3.7 million mi) from Earth. During the close encounter, 2017 YE5 was resolved in high detail by concurrent radar observations by the Arecibo and Green Bank observatories, along with individual observations by the Goldstone Solar System Radar. 2017 YE5 is likely an extinct or dormant comet due to its distant elliptical orbit and dark red surface.
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Claudine Rinner |
| Discovery site | Oukaïmeden Obs. |
| Discovery date | 21 December 2017 |
| Designations | |
| 2017 YE5 | |
| tltv005 | |
| Apollo · PHA · NEO | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 2 | |
| Observation arc | 0.74 yr (270 days) |
| Earliest precovery date | 12 December 2017 |
| Aphelion | 4.818 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.818 AU |
| 2.818 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.70964 |
| 4.73 yr (1,728 days) | |
| 155.681° | |
| 0° 12m 29.952s / day | |
| Inclination | 6.218° |
| 103.927° | |
| 110.794° | |
| Known satellites | 1 |
| Earth MOID | 0.0209 AU |
| TJupiter | 2.877 |
| Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 0.90±0.05 km or 900±50 m (for each body) |
Mean density | 0.6–1.2 g/cm3 |
| 14.88±0.02 h | |
| 0.02–0.04 | |
| D | |
| 26.8 | |
| 19.2 (combined) 19.3 | |