 2014 RC imaged by theGoldstone Radar on 7 September 2014 | |
| Discovery[1][2][3] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | CSS |
| Discovery site | Catalina Stn. |
| Discovery date | 1 September 2014 (first observed only) |
| Designations | |
| 2014 RC | |
| NEO · Apollo[3][4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[4] | |
| Epoch 1 July 2021 (JD 2459396.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 3[3][4] | |
| Observation arc | 18 days w/Radar |
| Aphelion | 1.8064AU |
| Perihelion | 0.8211 AU |
| 1.3138 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.3750 |
| 1.51yr (550 d) | |
| 155.44° | |
| 0° 39m 16.2s / day | |
| Inclination | 4.5687° |
| 344.91° | |
| 71.090° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0003 AU (0.1169LD) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | >22 m (largest axis)[5] |
| ~12–25 m (est.)[6] | |
| 0.004389 h (15.80 s)[7][8] | |
| S/q[5][8] | |
| 28 (Nov/Dec 2014) | |
| 26.8[3][4] | |
2014 RC is a sub-kilometernear-Earth object andApollo asteroid. The exceptionallyfast rotator passed within 0.000267 AU (39,900 km; 24,800 mi) (0.1lunar distances) of Earth on 7 September 2014. The asteroid is approximately the diameter of theChelyabinsk meteor,[5] and passed almost as close to Earth as367943 Duende (2012 DA14) did in 2013.
With anabsolute magnitude of 26.8,[4] the asteroid is about 11–25 meters (36–82 ft) in diameter depending on thealbedo.[6] Observations by theNASA Infrared Telescope Facility conclude the asteroid is a fairly brightSq-class asteroid which have an average albedo of around 0.24, and would give the asteroid a spherical equivalent diameter of 12 meters (39 ft).[5] Measurements by multiple telescopes indicate that the asteroid rotates in 15.8 seconds making it one of thefastest rotating asteroids so far discovered.[5][8] Using the 15.8 second rotation period, more accurateradar observations byGoldstone shows the asteroid has a largest axis of at least 22 meters (72 ft).[5] Due to the asteroid's fast rotation, it is amonolith and not arubble pile.
On 8 September 2115 the asteroid will pass about 0.0053 AU (790,000 km; 490,000 mi) from the Moon.[4] On 5 September 1973, the asteroid passed between 0.01052 AU (1,574,000 km; 978,000 mi) and 0.01207 AU (1,806,000 km; 1,122,000 mi) from Earth.[4] 2014 RC was removed from the JPLSentry Risk Table on 5 September 2014 and there are no known possible impact dates in the next 100 years.[9]
It made a close approach to Earth of 0.000267 AU (39,900 km; 24,800 mi) (0.1 LD) around 18:02 UTC on 7 September 2014.[4][10][11] The asteroid briefly brightened to aboutapparent magnitude 11.5,[12] but it was still not visible to thenaked eye or common binoculars. At the peak brightness the asteroid had adeclination of –47,[12] and was most easily visible over New Zealand.During 2014, asteroids2014 AA and2014 LY21 have come closer to Earth.
TheManagua explosion on 6 September 2014 may or may not have been created by abolide that was missed by millions of people, but either way it was not caused by the close approach of 2014 RC.[5]
During the 2014 Earth close approach theorbital period of 2014 RC was reduced from 600 days to 549 days.[13] Theorbital eccentricity decreased while theorbital inclination increased.
| Parameter | Epoch | Aphelion (Q) | Perihelion (q) | Semi-major axis (a) | Eccentricity (e) | Period (p) | Inclination (i) | Longitude ascending node (Ω) | Mean anomaly (M) | Argument of perihelion (ω) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | AU | (days) | (°) | |||||||
| Pre-flyby | 2014-09-01 | 1.9488 | 0.8344 | 1.3916 | 0.4004 | 599.62 | 1.4395° | 345.48° | 326.12° | 65.879° |
| flyby | 2014-09-07 18:02 UTC | 2.0284 | 0.8150 | 1.4217 | 0.4267 | 619.17 | 1.4217° | 345.09° | 330.91° | 68.602° |
| Post-flyby | 2014-10-01 | 1.8042 | 0.8207 | 1.3124 | 0.3747 | 549.18 | 4.5744° | 345.01° | 340.41° | 71.187° |
| Object | Date (UTC) | Date error (hours) | Nominal distance (AU) | Nominal distance (LD) | Minimum distance (AU) | Minimum distance (LD) | Apparent magnitude (V) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth | 1945-09-06 05:53 | 47.16 | 0.00442 | 1.72 | 0.00101 | 0.39 | 17.3 |
| Moon | 1945-09-06 14:33 | 52.48 | 0.00508 | 1.98 | 0.00103 | 0.40 | – |
| Mars | 1957-10-09 13:55 | 5.40 | 0.06371 | 24.78 | 0.05267 | 20.49 | – |
| Earth | 1973-09-05 21:42 | 0.62 | 0.01169 | 4.55 | 0.01089 | 4.24 | 19.3 |
| Earth | 1987-01-17 01:02 | 0.30 | 0.03724 | 14.49 | 0.03686 | 14.34 | 22.4 |
| Earth | 1991-09-27 05:38 | 1.03 | 0.09911 | 38.55 | 0.09878 | 38.43 | 27.0 |
| Mars | 1999-09-22 14:00 | <0.01 | 0.03739 | 14.54 | 0.03712 | 14.44 | – |
| Earth | 2009-12-30 13:10 | 0.28 | 0.08634 | 33.59 | 0.08622 | 33.54 | 26.0 |
| Moon | 2014-09-07 08:47 | <0.01 | 0.000845 | 0.329 | 0.000845 | 0.329 | – |
| Earth | 2014-09-07 18:02 | <0.01 | 0.000267 | 0.104 | 0.000267 | 0.104 | 15.9 |
| Earth | 2017-09-11 13:50 | 0.15 | 0.03864 | 15.03 | 0.03850 | 14.98 | 23.3 |
| Earth | 2020-09-22 21:24 | 0.35 | 0.09908 | 38.54 | 0.09893 | 38.48 | 26.1 |
| Earth | 2039-01-21 23:38 | 0.13 | 0.06224 | 24.21 | 0.06215 | 24.18 | 24.0 |
| Earth | 2042-01-27 18:19 | 0.10 | 0.06322 | 24.59 | 0.06313 | 24.56 | 23.6 |
| Earth | 2109-09-01 16:27 | 0.07 | 0.09959 | 38.74 | 0.09945 | 38.69 | 24.7 |
| Earth | 2112-09-06 21:13 | 0.08 | 0.02253 | 8.76 | 0.02241 | 8.72 | 21.1 |
| Moon | 2115-09-08 19:11 | 0.15 | 0.00558 | 2.17 | 0.005350 | 2.08 | – |
| Earth | 2115-09-08 22:50 | 0.17 | 0.00785 | 3.05 | 0.00763 | 2.97 | 18.5 |
| Mars | 2140-10-13 22:42 | 2.85 | 0.07152 | 27.82 | 0.05471 | 21.28 | – |
| Earth | 2159-02-02 22:17 | 16.90 | 0.08084 | 31.45 | 0.05563 | 21.64 | 24.2 |
| Earth | 2162-01-19 14:04 | 38.85 | 0.09376 | 36.47 | 0.07273 | 28.29 | 25.2 |
| Earth | 2170-09-19 02:08 | 9.12 | 0.07413 | 28.84 | 0.06707 | 26.09 | 25.1 |
| Earth | 2173-09-04 16:52 | 1.38 | 0.06123 | 23.82 | 0.05950 | 23.15 | 23.5 |
2014 in space | ||
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