Recent from talks
2020 CD3
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
2020 CD3
2020 CD3 (also CD3 for short) is a tiny near-Earth asteroid (or minimoon) that ordinarily orbits the Sun and makes close approaches to the Earth–Moon system, in which it can temporarily enter Earth orbit through temporary satellite capture (TSC). It was discovered at the Mount Lemmon Observatory by astronomers Theodore Pruyne and Kacper Wierzchoś on 15 February 2020, as part of the Mount Lemmon Survey or Catalina Sky Survey. The asteroid's discovery was announced by the Minor Planet Center on 25 February 2020, after subsequent observations confirmed that it was orbiting Earth.
It is the second temporary satellite of Earth discovered in situ, after 2006 RH120, which was discovered in 2006. Based on its nominal trajectory, 2020 CD3 was captured by Earth around 2016–2017, and escaped Earth's gravitational sphere of influence around 7 May 2020. 2020 CD3 will make another close pass to Earth in March 2044, though it will most likely not be captured by Earth due to the greater approach distance.
2020 CD3 has an absolute magnitude around 32, indicating that it is very small in size. Assuming that 2020 CD3 has a low albedo characteristic of dark, carbonaceous C-type asteroids, its diameter is probably around 1.9–3.5 metres (6–11 ft). 2020 CD3 is classified as an Arjuna asteroid, a subtype of small Earth-crossing Apollo asteroids that have Earth-like orbits.
2020 CD3 was discovered on 15 February 2020, by astronomers Theodore Pruyne and Kacper Wierzchoś at the Mount Lemmon Observatory. The discovery formed part of the Mount Lemmon Survey designed for discovering near-Earth objects, which is also part of the Catalina Sky Survey conducted at Tucson, Arizona. 2020 CD3 was found as a faint, 20th magnitude object in the constellation of Virgo, located about 0.0019 AU (280,000 km; 180,000 mi) from Earth at the time. The observed orbital motion of the object suggested that it may be gravitationally bound to Earth, which prompted further observations to secure and determine its motion.
The object's discovery was reported to the Minor Planet Center's Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page (NEOCP), where a preliminary orbit was calculated from additional observations conducted at several observatories. Follow-up observations of 2020 CD3 spanned six days since its discovery, and the object was formally announced in a Minor Planet Electronic Circular notice issued by the Minor Planet Center on 25 February 2020. No indication of perturbations by solar radiation pressure was observed, and 2020 CD3 could not be linked to any known artificial object. Although the evidence implied that 2020 CD3 is most likely a dense, rocky asteroid, the possibility of the object being an artificial object, such as a dead satellite or rocket booster, had not yet been fully ruled out.
Precovery images of 2020 CD3 have been identified back to May 2018.
Upon discovery, the asteroid was given the temporary internal designation C26FED2. After follow up observations confirming the object, it was then given the provisional designation 2020 CD3 by the Minor Planet Center on 25 February 2020. The provisional designation signifies the object's discovery date and year. The object has not yet been issued a permanent minor planet number by the Minor Planet Center due to its modest observation arc of a couple years and that it has not been observed at enough oppositions.
Prior to the temporary capture of 2020 CD3, its heliocentric orbit was probably Earth-crossing, either falling into the categories of an Aten-type orbit (a < 1 AU) or an Apollo-type orbit (a > 1 AU), with the former considered to be more likely.
Hub AI
2020 CD3 AI simulator
(@2020 CD3_simulator)
2020 CD3
2020 CD3 (also CD3 for short) is a tiny near-Earth asteroid (or minimoon) that ordinarily orbits the Sun and makes close approaches to the Earth–Moon system, in which it can temporarily enter Earth orbit through temporary satellite capture (TSC). It was discovered at the Mount Lemmon Observatory by astronomers Theodore Pruyne and Kacper Wierzchoś on 15 February 2020, as part of the Mount Lemmon Survey or Catalina Sky Survey. The asteroid's discovery was announced by the Minor Planet Center on 25 February 2020, after subsequent observations confirmed that it was orbiting Earth.
It is the second temporary satellite of Earth discovered in situ, after 2006 RH120, which was discovered in 2006. Based on its nominal trajectory, 2020 CD3 was captured by Earth around 2016–2017, and escaped Earth's gravitational sphere of influence around 7 May 2020. 2020 CD3 will make another close pass to Earth in March 2044, though it will most likely not be captured by Earth due to the greater approach distance.
2020 CD3 has an absolute magnitude around 32, indicating that it is very small in size. Assuming that 2020 CD3 has a low albedo characteristic of dark, carbonaceous C-type asteroids, its diameter is probably around 1.9–3.5 metres (6–11 ft). 2020 CD3 is classified as an Arjuna asteroid, a subtype of small Earth-crossing Apollo asteroids that have Earth-like orbits.
2020 CD3 was discovered on 15 February 2020, by astronomers Theodore Pruyne and Kacper Wierzchoś at the Mount Lemmon Observatory. The discovery formed part of the Mount Lemmon Survey designed for discovering near-Earth objects, which is also part of the Catalina Sky Survey conducted at Tucson, Arizona. 2020 CD3 was found as a faint, 20th magnitude object in the constellation of Virgo, located about 0.0019 AU (280,000 km; 180,000 mi) from Earth at the time. The observed orbital motion of the object suggested that it may be gravitationally bound to Earth, which prompted further observations to secure and determine its motion.
The object's discovery was reported to the Minor Planet Center's Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page (NEOCP), where a preliminary orbit was calculated from additional observations conducted at several observatories. Follow-up observations of 2020 CD3 spanned six days since its discovery, and the object was formally announced in a Minor Planet Electronic Circular notice issued by the Minor Planet Center on 25 February 2020. No indication of perturbations by solar radiation pressure was observed, and 2020 CD3 could not be linked to any known artificial object. Although the evidence implied that 2020 CD3 is most likely a dense, rocky asteroid, the possibility of the object being an artificial object, such as a dead satellite or rocket booster, had not yet been fully ruled out.
Precovery images of 2020 CD3 have been identified back to May 2018.
Upon discovery, the asteroid was given the temporary internal designation C26FED2. After follow up observations confirming the object, it was then given the provisional designation 2020 CD3 by the Minor Planet Center on 25 February 2020. The provisional designation signifies the object's discovery date and year. The object has not yet been issued a permanent minor planet number by the Minor Planet Center due to its modest observation arc of a couple years and that it has not been observed at enough oppositions.
Prior to the temporary capture of 2020 CD3, its heliocentric orbit was probably Earth-crossing, either falling into the categories of an Aten-type orbit (a < 1 AU) or an Apollo-type orbit (a > 1 AU), with the former considered to be more likely.
Recent media