(308635) 2005 YU55

(308635) 2005 YU55 is a near-Earth and potentially dangerous for the earth asteroid of the Apollo - type on 28 December 2005 as part of the Spacewatch project by Robert S. McMillan at Steward Observatory of the Kitt Peak National Observatory on Kitt Peak was found in Arizona. It has a diameter of about 400 m. On 8 November 2011, at 23:28 UT, the asteroid, Earth has happened to the 0.85 times the lunar distance in about. Since the approach of 2010 XC15 in 1976, no asteroid came so close with comparable brightness of the earth more.

Assessment of the risk of collision

In February 2010, the asteroid was assessed with the value 1 on the Torino scale, resulting in a near-Earth flyby indicates which means no unusual hazards. On 19 April 2010 by the Arecibo observations reduced Observatory for the inaccuracies in the calculation of the orbit by 50 percent. This improvement in values ​​led to an exclusion of a collision with the Earth within the next one hundred years. On April 22, the asteroid was therefore removed from the Sentry list.

NASA keeps track of the object with the antennas of the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex and collects more data in a measurement campaign, inter alia with the plants Green Bank, Very Large Array and Infrared Telescope Facility. (308635) 2005 YU55 was also observed with Herschel.

His closest distance to Earth flyby in 2011 reached ( 308635 ) 2005 YU55 on November 8 at 23:28 UT, the asteroid flew about 0.85 times the Earth-Moon distance to the Earth. 0.85 lunar distances correspond 0.00217 astronomical units ( AU) or 325,000 kilometers. His slightest close to the moon reached the asteroid a few hours later, on November 9, 2011 at 07:13 UT, with 0.00160 AE ( 239,000 km ). During his approach, the asteroid reached the apparent brightness of 11 mag and was by astronomers using precision binoculars are observed larger with a 80 mm lens or.

The next is already known asteroid coming close to Earth similar, is (153814) 2001 WN5. According to current calculations, it is 2028 flying by at a distance of 0.00166 AU on the earth.

Future train

On January 19, 2029 ( 308635 ) 2005 YU55 at a distance of about 0.0022 AU ( 329,000 km ) pass the Venus. This approach determines the distance at which the asteroid 2041 will fly past Earth. The current inaccuracies in the computation of the pattern after 2029 lead to a range of variation of the distance during the passage of 2041 ( 300,000 kilometers ) up to 0.3 AE ranges from 0.002 AE. The radar observations of asteroids in November 2011 should bring more clarity on approaches to the earth in the year 2041 and later. After 4 November 2011 measurements carried out ( 308635 ) is 2005 YU55 Earth 2075 come close even to 0.0013 AU ( 194,000 km ).

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