2019 SU₃

2019 SU₃ is a very small near-Earth asteroid of the Apollo group, first observed by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System at Haleakala Observatory on 23 September 2019. It was briefly listed on the Risk List of the European Space Agency. With a 18-day observation arc, the nominal orbit passes 0.02 AU (3,000,000 km; 1,900,000 mi) from Earth on 27 September 2084.[2] It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 12 October 2019.

2019 SU3

Discovery [1][2]
Discovered by	ATLAS-HKO
Discovery site	Haleakala Obs.
Discovery date	23 September 2019 (first observed only)
Designations
MPC designation	2019 SU3
Minor planet category	NEO · Apollo [1][2]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2[2] · 3[1]
Observation arc	28 days
Aphelion	1.1948 AU
Perihelion	0.9922 AU
Semi-major axis	1.0935 AU
Eccentricity	0.0927
Orbital period	1.14 yr (418 d)
Mean anomaly	257.62°
Mean motion	0° 51^m 42.84^s / day
Inclination	1.1621°
Longitude of ascending node	5.1182°
Argument of perihelion	322.69°
Earth MOID	0.0022 AU (0.86 LD)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	15 m[3][4]
Absolute magnitude (H)	27.2[1] 27.28[2]

Based on calculations with a shorter observation arc, the asteroid could have passed very close to Earth, about 9,700 km (6,000 mi), in mid-September, 2084.[3][5][6][7] According to astronomers, "Its small size of about 15 m (49 ft) would result in limited consequences even in case of impact."[3]

Trajectory

2019 SU3 asteroid trajectory – as/of 12 October 2019
(Asteroid orbit is in white; Earth orbit is in blue)[2]

See also

• Chelyabinsk meteor

References

1. "2019 SU3". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2019 SU3)" (2019-10-21 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 30 November 2019. (per 12 October 2019)
3. Mack, Eric (11 October 2019). "Newly spotted asteroid could one day hit Earth, but don't panic - It's on a list of the riskiest space objects spotted so far, but how much should we really worry?". CNET. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
4. Wackback Machine Archive for 2019 SU3 on the esa Risk List
5. Wehner, Mike (12 October 2019). "Newly-discovered asteroid could strike Earth within decades". MSN News. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
6. Carpineti, Alfredo (10 October 2019). "Newly Discovered Asteroid Is At Slight Risk Of Hitting Earth In 2084". IFLScience. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
7. Wackback Machine Archive for 2019 SU3 close approaches

External links

• Asteroid warning: The 2019 SU3 asteroid could hit Earth - how big is it and will it hit?, express.co.uk, 16 Oct 2019
• Newly-discovered asteroid could strike Earth within decades, bgr.com, 11 Oct 2019
• Newly spotted asteroid could one day hit Earth, but don't panic, cnet.com, 11 Oct 2019
• Asteroid may collide with Earth, ESA warns: 'Non-zero... probability', foxnews.com, 10 Oct 2019
• 2019 SU3 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Obs prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Obs info · Close · Physical info · NEOCC
• 2019 SU3 at ESA–space situational awareness
  • Ephemerides · Observations · Orbit · Physical Properties · Summary
• 2019 SU3 at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters