(68950) 2002 QF15

(68950) 2002 QF15 is a stony asteroid, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, that measures approximately 2 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 27 August 2002, by the LINEAR project at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site in Socorro, New Mexico, United States.[2]

(68950) 2002 QF15
Discovery[1]
Discovered byLINEAR
Discovery siteLincoln Lab's ETS
Discovery date27 August 2002
Designations
(68950) 2002 QF15
2002 QF15
NEO · PHA · Apollo[1][2]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc61.85 yr (22,591 days)
Aphelion1.4206 AU
Perihelion0.6930 AU
1.0568 AU
Eccentricity0.3442
1.09 yr (397 days)
216.46°
0° 54m 25.92s / day
Inclination25.155°
236.24°
255.51°
Earth MOID0.0068 AU · 2.6 LD
Physical characteristics
Dimensions1.12±0.03 km[3]
3.49 km (calculated)[4]
29 h[lower-alpha 1]
47.0±0.5 h[5]
0.040 (assumed)[4]
0.428±0.029[3]
S[4]
16.4[1][3][4]

    Orbit and classification

    2002 QF15 is a S-type asteroid that orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.7–1.4 AU once every 1 years and 1 month (397 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.34 and an inclination of 25° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] Taken at Palomar Observatory in 1955, a first precovery from the during the Digitized Sky Survey extends the body's observation arc by 47 years prior to its official discovery observation at Socorro.[2]

    It has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance 0.0063 AU (942,000 km), which translates into 2.6 LD.[1]

    Physical characteristics

    In June 2006, a rotational lightcurve of 2002 QF15 was obtained from photometric observation taken by American astronomer Brian Warner at his Palmer Divide Observatory in Colorado. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 47 hours with a brightness variation of 0.35 magnitude (U=2),[5] superseding a lightcurve previously obtained by Czech astronomer Petr Pravec at Ondřejov Observatory in 2003, which gave a shorter period of 29 hours and an amplitude of 0.3 magnitude (U=2-).[lower-alpha 1]

    According to the survey carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite, the asteroid measures 1.12 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.428,[3] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.040 and calculates a diameter of 3.49 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 16.4.[4]

    Numbering and naming

    This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 10 September 2003.[6] As of 2018, it has not been named.[2]

    Notes
    1. Pravec (2003) web: rotation period 29 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.3 mag. Summary figures at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link for (68950) and unpublished data sheet from the Ondrejov Asteroid Photometry Project

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 68950 (2002 QF15)" (2017-05-29 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
    2. "68950 (2002 QF15)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
    3. Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. (online, AcuA catalog p. 153)
    4. "LCDB Data for (68950)". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 22 March 2017.
    5. Warner, Brian D. (December 2006). "Asteroid lightcurve analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory - March - June 2006". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 33 (4): 85–88. Bibcode:2006MPBu...33...85W. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
    6. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
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