2002 MN
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Asteroid 2002 MN |
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| Properties of the orbit ( animation ) | |
| Orbit type | Apollo type |
| Major semi-axis | 1.816 AU |
| eccentricity | 0.498 |
| Perihelion - aphelion | 0.912 AU - 2.720 AU |
| Inclination of the orbit plane | 1.047 ° |
| Sidereal period | 2,446 a |
| Mean orbital velocity | ? km / s |
| Physical Properties | |
| Medium diameter | 50 to 120 meters |
| Dimensions | approx. 5.4 · 10 8 kg |
| Albedo | ? |
| Medium density | ? g / cm³ |
| Rotation period | ? |
| Absolute brightness | 23.3 mag |
| Spectral class | ? |
| history | |
| Explorer | LINEAR |
| Date of discovery | June 17, 2002 |
| Source: Unless otherwise stated, the data comes from JPL Small-Body Database Browser . The affiliation to an asteroid family is automatically determined from the AstDyS-2 database . Please also note the note on asteroid items. | |
2002 MN is a small near-Earth asteroid of the Apollo type , which was discovered on June 17, 2002 by the automatic sky surveillance LINEAR (Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research) . The diameter of the asteroid is estimated at 50 to 120 meters and its mass at 5.4 · 10 8 kg.
After its discovery, it was found that on June 14, 2002, three days before its discovery, 2002 MN had flown past the earth at a distance of only about 120,000 km, the speed relative to this being about 10.6 km / s . This distance corresponds to a little less than a third of the mean distance of the moon and was thus the second closest known approach of a small body to the earth at that time (after that of 1994 XM1 eight years earlier). This fact, and the fact that the asteroid was only discovered three days after its closest approach, caused some media coverage. The 2002 flyby is still one of the closest known asteroid approaches; Orbit regulations have shown, however, that 2002 MN will not pose a threat to the earth for the foreseeable future.