2004 FH

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2004 FH
Discovery
Discovered by LINEAR
Discovery date March 15, 2004
Designations
none
Aten asteroid,
Earth-crosser asteroid
Venus-crosser asteroid
Orbital characteristics
Epoch July 14, 2004 (JD 2453200.5)
Aphelion 1.054 AU (157.651 Gm)
Perihelion 0.582 AU (87.070 Gm)
0.818 AU (122.360 Gm)
Eccentricity 0.288
270.192 d (0.740 a)
32.237 km/s
28.042°
Inclination 0.016 62°
264.432°
62.952°
Earth MOID 0.00002265 AU (0.0088 LD) (3390 km)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions ~30 metres (98 ft)[1]
Mass 2.8×107 kg
0.05 hr[2] (3 minutes, 1 second)
Temperature ~308 K
26.2
Flyby of asteroid 2004 FH (centre dot being followed by the sequence). The other object that flashes by is an artificial satellite. Images were by Stefano Sposetti and composite by Raoul Behrend of Geneva Observatory

2004 FH is a near-Earth asteroid that was discovered on March 15, 2004, by the NASA-funded LINEAR asteroid survey. The object is roughly 30 metres in diameter and passed just 43,000 km (27,000 mi) above the Earth's surface on March 18, 2004, at 22:08 UTC; making it the 11th closest approach to Earth recorded as of 21 November 2008 (see the diagram below). For comparison, geostationary satellites orbit Earth at 35,790 km.

2004 FH is an Aten family asteroid. Despite its relatively small size (about 30 metres), it is still the fourth largest asteroid detected coming closer to the Earth than the Moon.

Had this object hit Earth, it would probably have detonated high in the atmosphere. It might have produced a blast measured in hundreds of kilotons of TNT, but may not have produced any effect on the ground. It could also have been an Earth-grazing fireball if it had been much closer but not close enough to impact.

On March 17, 2044 the asteroid will pass no closer than 0.0116 AU (1,740,000 km; 1,080,000 mi) from the Earth.[2] 2004 FH also has the distinction of having the lowest inclination of any known near-Earth asteroids.

Two weeks later another asteroid approached even closer, 2004 FU162, which was smaller, and a few years later 2009 DD45, which was closer in size passed by at similar distance.

Trajectory of 2004 FH in the Earth-Moon system

See also

References

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External links