2019 GC6 is a very small near-Earth asteroid and potentially hazardous object of the Apollo group, approximately 20 meters (70 ft) in diameter. It was detected by the Catalina Sky Survey at Catalina Station on 9 April 2019, a few days before it made its first-observed pass through the cislunar region at a distance of 136,000 miles (219,000 km), comparable to roughly half the average distance from the Earth to the Moon (0.58 LD).[4][5]

2019 GC6
Discovery [1][2]
Discovered byCSS
Discovery siteCatalina Stn.
Discovery date9 April 2019
Designations
2019 GC6
NEO · Apollo[1][2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 5[2] · 4[1]
Observation arc17 days
Aphelion1.2985 AU
Perihelion0.9104 AU
1.1045 AU
Eccentricity0.1757
1.16 yr (424 d)
317.32°
0° 50m 56.76s / day
Inclination1.2557°
211.61°
63.845°
Earth MOID0.0015 AU
(0.5844 LD)
Physical characteristics
15 m (est. at 0.20)[3]
28 m (est. at 0.057)[3]
26.5[1]
26.51[2]

Orbit and classification

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2019 GC6 is a member of the Apollo group of asteroids, which are Earth-crossing asteroids. They are the largest group of near-Earth objects with approximately 10,000 known members. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.91–1.29 AU once every 14 months (424 days; semi-major axis of 1.1 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]

The body's observation arc begins with its first observation by the Mount Lemmon Survey on 31 March 2019, just a few days prior to its potential discovery observation by the Catalina Sky Survey.[1]

Physical characteristics

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Diameter and albedo

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The dimensions of the asteroid are estimated to range between 7.5–30 metres (25–98 ft) and has been compared to size of a house.[4][5] Based on an magnitude-to-diameter conversion and a measured absolute magnitude of 26.5, 2019 GC6 measures between 15 and 28 meters in diameter for an assumed geometric albedo of 0.20 (siliceous) and 0.057 (carbonaceous), respectively.[1][3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "2019 GC6". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2019 GC6)" (2019-04-17 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS NASA/JPL. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Massive asteroid will pass Earth closer than the Moon". The Independent. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b Weitering, Hanneke; Astronomy. "A House-Size Asteroid Zipped by Earth Today". Space.com. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
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