2019 AQ3
2019 AQ3 is an inclined near-Earth object of the small Atira group from the innermost region of the Solar System, estimated to measure 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) in diameter. Among the hundreds of thousands known asteroids, 2019 AQ3's orbit was thought to have likely the smallest semi-major axis (0.589 AU) and aphelion (0.77 AU), that is, the orbit's average distance and farthest point from the Sun, respectively. The object was first observed on 4 January 2019, by astronomers at Palomar's Zwicky Transient Facility in California, with recovered images dating back to 2015.
Orbital diagram of 2019 AQ3, as viewed from the ecliptic pole | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Zwicky Transient Facility |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 4 January 2019 (first observed only) |
| Designations | |
| 2019 AQ3 | |
| NEO · Atira | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 3 · 4 | |
| Observation arc | 3.23 yr (1,181 d) |
| Aphelion | 0.7737 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.4036 AU |
| 0.5887 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.3143 |
| 165 days | |
| 118.50° | |
| 2° 10m 56.28s / day | |
| Inclination | 47.219° |
| 64.487° | |
| 163.15° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.2259 AU (87.9 LD) |
| Mercury MOID | 0.0550 AU |
| Venus MOID | ≤ 0.0384 AU |
| Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 1+ km (est.) 1.4 km (est. at 0.08) |
| 17.6 | |
The record for smallest semi-major axis was beaten by another asteroid, 2019 LF6, with 0.555 AU.
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