2015 AZ43

2015 AZ₄₃

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Pan-STARRS (F51)
Discovery date	11 January 2015
Designations
MPC designation	2015 AZ43
Minor planet category	Apollo NEO[2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 5
Observation arc	45 days
Aphelion	2.75773 AU (412.551 Gm) (Q)
Perihelion	0.98830226 AU (147.847914 Gm) (q)
Semi-major axis	1.87301 AU (280.198 Gm) (a)
Eccentricity	0.472347 (e)
Orbital period (sidereal)	2.56 yr (936.29 d)
Mean anomaly	123.5461° (M)
Mean motion	0° 23^m 4.187^s / day (n)
Inclination	4.52198° (i)
Longitude of ascending node	337.42980° (Ω)
Argument of perihelion	181.78786° (ω)
Earth MOID	0.00161778 AU (242,016 km)
Jupiter MOID	2.23908 AU (334.962 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	~70 meters[3] 50–120 meters[4]
Synodic rotation period	0.59992 h (35.995 min)
Absolute magnitude (H)	23.5[2]

2015 AZ₄₃ (also written 2015 AZ43) is an Apollo near-Earth asteroid roughly 70 meters in diameter. On 10 February 2015 with a 29.5-day observation arc, it showed a 1 in 5,880 chance of impacting Earth on 27 February 2107.^[3] However, the NEODyS nominal best-fit orbit shows that 2015 AZ₄₃ will be 2.8 AU (420,000,000 km; 260,000,000 mi) from Earth on 27 February 2107.^[5] A (non-impacting) Earth close approach in 2056 makes future trajectories diverge.^[6] It was removed from the JPL Sentry Risk Table on 23 February 2015 using JPL solution 26 with an observation arc of 40 days that included radar data.^[7]

With an absolute magnitude of 23.5,^[2] the asteroid is about 50–120 meters in diameter.^[4]

2015 flyby

2015 AZ₄₃ was discovered on 11 January 2015 by Pan-STARRS at an apparent magnitude of 20 using a 1.8-meter (71 in) Ritchey–Chrétien telescope.^[1] On 15 February 2015 the asteroid passed 0.0197 AU (2,950,000 km; 1,830,000 mi) from Earth.^[8] The Goldstone Deep Space Network detected the asteroid on 18–19 February 2015, but the signal was not strong enough for delay-Doppler imaging.^[9]

References

1. "MPEC 2015-B05: 2015 AZ43". IAU Minor Planet Center. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015. (K15A43Z)
2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 AZ43)" (last observation: 2015-02-20; arc: 40 days). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
3. "Earth Impact Risk Summary: 2015 AZ43". WayBack Machine: NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. 10 February 2015. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
4. "Absolute Magnitude (H)". NASA/JPL. Archived from the original on 2 March 2001. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
5. "2015AZ43 Ephemerides for 25 February 2107 through 2 March 2107". NEODyS (Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site). Retrieved 14 February 2015.
6. "2015AZ43 close approaches". NEODyS (Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site). Retrieved 8 February 2015.
7. "Date/Time Removed". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
8. "JPL Close-Approach Data: (2015 AZ43)" (last observation: 2015-02-20; arc: 40 days). Retrieved 24 February 2015.
9. Lance A. M. Benner. "Goldstone Asteroid Schedule". NASA/JPL Asteroid Radar Research. Archived from the original on 19 November 1996. Retrieved 20 February 2015.

External links

• 2015 AZ43 Orbit – Minor Planet Center
• 2015 AZ43 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemerides · Observation prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Observational info · Close approaches · Physical info · Orbit animation
• 2015 AZ43 at ESA–space situational awareness
  • Ephemerides · Observations · Orbit · Physical properties · Summary
• 2015 AZ43 at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters