2014 LY21 is a near-Earth asteroid of the Aten group, approximately 4–8 meters (13–26 feet) in diameter. On 3 June 2014 around 17:38 UT (± 3 hours), it is crudely estimated to have passed about 0.00013 AU (19,000 km) from Earth.[2][b] The asteroid was discovered on 2 June 2014 by the Mount Lemmon Survey at an apparent magnitude of 21 using a 1.5-meter (59 in) reflecting telescope.[1]

2014 LY21
Discovery[1]
Discovered byMount Lemmon Srvy.
Discovery date2 June 2014
Designations
2014 LY21
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 2 June 2014 (JD 2456810.5)
Uncertainty parameter 9[2]
Observation arc~1 hour[3][a]
Aphelion1.0306 AU (154.18 Gm) (Q)
Perihelion0.35603 AU (53.261 Gm) (q)
0.69330 AU (103.716 Gm) (a)
Eccentricity0.48647 (e)
0.58 yr (210.9 d)
203.00° (M)
1.7074°/day (n)
Inclination0.80341° (i)
73.788° (Ω)
348.77° (ω)
Earth MOID0.000140028 AU (20,947.9 km)
Jupiter MOID4.29318 AU (642.251 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions4–8 m (13–26 ft)[4]
29.1[2]

Uncertainty

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With an observation arc of about 1 hour,[a] the trajectory is poorly constrained and the asteroid has an uncertainty parameter of 9 making long-term predictions of the asteroids position nearly impossible. The nominal (best fit) orbit shows that 2014 LY21 passed 0.00013 AU (19,000 km; 12,000 mi)[2] from Earth on 3 June 2014 (~12,700 km from Earth's surface).[5][b] But the uncertainty region shows that the asteroid could have approached Earth as close as 0.00006 AU (9,000 km; 5,600 mi) or as far as 0.0005 AU (75,000 km; 46,000 mi).[2] Since Earth has a radius of approximately 6,400 km, the asteroid did not come any closer than about 2,600 km from Earth's surface.

Moon

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The nominal orbit shows that 2014 LY21 passed 0.001 AU (150,000 km; 93,000 mi) from the Moon on 4 June 2014.[2] But the uncertainty region shows that the asteroid could have impacted the Moon or passed as far as 0.007 AU (1,000,000 km; 650,000 mi).[2] But it is very unlikely that the asteroid impacted the Moon.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Observation arc: (02.46118 – 02.41612) * 24 hours * 60 minutes = 65 minutes
  2. ^ a b The asteroid passed about 20000±40000 km from the center of Earth and Earth has a radius of 6371 km.

References

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  1. ^ a b "MPEC 2014-L48 : 2014 LY21". IAU Minor Planet Center. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014. (K14L21Y)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2014 LY21)" (last observation: 2014-06-02; arc:=~1 hour). Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b "2014 LY21". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Absolute Magnitude (H)". NASA/JPL. Archived from the original on 2 March 2001. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  5. ^ "about 8,000 km above Earth's surface". Twitter: Ron Baalke. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
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