1998 KY26
Encyclopedia
The asteroid
(also written 1998 KY26) was discovered on June 2, 1998, by Spacewatch
and observed until June 8, when it passed 800,000 kilometers (half a million miles) away from Earth
(a little more than twice the Earth-Moon
distance). It is roughly spherical
and is only about 30 metres (98.4 ft) in diameter. Although it is nearly small enough be classified a meteoroid
, the most common definition uses a diameter of 10 m as the demarcation, just making an asteroid.
With a rotation period of 10.7 minutes it has one of the shortest sidereal days of any known object in the solar system, and cannot possibly be a rubble pile
. It is also one of the most easily accessed objects in the solar system, and its orbit frequently brings it on a path very similar to the optimum Earth
-Mars
transfer orbit. This, coupled with the fact that it is water rich, makes it an attractive target for further study and a potential source of water for future missions to Mars.
s led by Dr. Steven J. Ostro
of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
. The team used a radar telescope in California
and optical telescope
s in the Czech Republic
, Hawaii
, Arizona
and California
.
object ever studied in detail and, with a rotational period of 10.7 minutes, was the fastest-spinning object observed at the time of its discovery: most asteroids with established rotational rates have periods measured in hours. It was the first recognized minor object that spins so fast that it must be a monolithic object rather than a rubble pile, as many asteroids are thought to be. Since was found to be a fast rotator, several other small asteroid
s have been found to also have short rotation periods, some even faster than .
Optical and radar observations indicate that is a water-rich object.
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
(also written 1998 KY26) was discovered on June 2, 1998, by Spacewatch
Spacewatch
Spacewatch is a project at the University of Arizona led by Robert S. McMillan that specializes in the study of minor planets, including various types of asteroids and comets...
and observed until June 8, when it passed 800,000 kilometers (half a million miles) away from Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
(a little more than twice the Earth-Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
distance). It is roughly spherical
Sphere
A sphere is a perfectly round geometrical object in three-dimensional space, such as the shape of a round ball. Like a circle in two dimensions, a perfect sphere is completely symmetrical around its center, with all points on the surface lying the same distance r from the center point...
and is only about 30 metres (98.4 ft) in diameter. Although it is nearly small enough be classified a meteoroid
Meteoroid
A meteoroid is a sand- to boulder-sized particle of debris in the Solar System. The visible path of a meteoroid that enters Earth's atmosphere is called a meteor, or colloquially a shooting star or falling star. If a meteoroid reaches the ground and survives impact, then it is called a meteorite...
, the most common definition uses a diameter of 10 m as the demarcation, just making an asteroid.
With a rotation period of 10.7 minutes it has one of the shortest sidereal days of any known object in the solar system, and cannot possibly be a rubble pile
Rubble pile
In astronomy, rubble pile is the informal name for an object that is not a monolith, consisting instead of numerous pieces of rock that have coalesced under the influence of gravity...
. It is also one of the most easily accessed objects in the solar system, and its orbit frequently brings it on a path very similar to the optimum Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
-Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
transfer orbit. This, coupled with the fact that it is water rich, makes it an attractive target for further study and a potential source of water for future missions to Mars.
Discovery
The discovery is attributed to an international team of astronomerAstronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
s led by Dr. Steven J. Ostro
Steven J. Ostro
Steven J. Ostro was an American scientist specializing in Radar Astronomy. He worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Ostro led radar observations of numerous asteroids, as well as the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, Saturn's rings, and Mars and its satellites...
of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
. The team used a radar telescope in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and optical telescope
Optical telescope
An optical telescope is a telescope which is used to gather and focus light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum for directly viewing a magnified image for making a photograph, or collecting data through electronic image sensors....
s in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Physical properties
Asteroid is the smallest solar systemSolar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
object ever studied in detail and, with a rotational period of 10.7 minutes, was the fastest-spinning object observed at the time of its discovery: most asteroids with established rotational rates have periods measured in hours. It was the first recognized minor object that spins so fast that it must be a monolithic object rather than a rubble pile, as many asteroids are thought to be. Since was found to be a fast rotator, several other small asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s have been found to also have short rotation periods, some even faster than .
Optical and radar observations indicate that is a water-rich object.
External links
- MPEC 1998-L02
- Scott Hudson's Homepage: The Earth-Crossing Asteroid
- Steven Ostro's Homepage: Images| first = Željko | last = Lipanović | url = http://www.geocities.com/zlipanov/selected_asteroids/1998ky26/1998ky26.html|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1256259088021502|archivedate=2009-10-22}}
- Media Relations Office. Sun never sets, for long, on fast-spinning, water-rich asteroid (press release). Pasadena, California: Jet Propulsion Laboratory. July 22, 1999.