2020 CD3
 | |
| Discovery [1][2] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Mt. Lemmon Survey
|
| Discovery site | Mt. Lemmon Obs. |
| Discovery date | 15 February 2020 |
| Designations | |
| 2020 CD3 | |
| C26FED2 [3][4] | |
| Apollo [5] · Amor [2] · NEO · temporarily captured [1] | |
| Orbital characteristics [5] | |
| Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 4[5] · 10[2] | |
| Observation arc | 6 days |
| Aphelion | 1.0403 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.0050 AU |
| 1.0227 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.01726 |
| 1.03 yr (377.8 d) | |
| 117.091° | |
| 0° 57m 10.792s / day | |
| Inclination | 0.6401° |
| 83.087° | |
| 46.794° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0166505 AU |
| Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 1–6 m[3] |
| 23.0[1][6] | |
| 31.728±0.312[5] 31.5[2] | |
2020 CD3, also known by its internal designation C26FED2, is a tiny near-Earth asteroid and temporary satellite of Earth. It was discovered at the Mount Lemmon Observatory by astronomers Theodore Pruyne and Kacper Wierzchos 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 have ruled out the possibility of the object being artificial.[1] It is the second temporary satellite of Earth discovered in situ, after 2006 RH120 that discovered in 2006. Based on its preliminary orbit, 2020 CD3 may have been captured by Earth around 2016–2017.[7]
2020 CD3 has an absolute magnitude around 32, indicating that it is very small in size, with a diameter around 1–6 metres (3–20 ft) under the assumption of an albedo of 0.01–0.60.[3] The Minor Planet Center classifies 2020 CD3 as an Amor asteroid since it orbits beyond Earth,[2] though the JPL Small-Body Database considers it to be part of the Earth-crossing Apollo group of asteroids.[5]
See also
- 1991 VG – near-Earth asteroid temporarily captured by Earth after its discovery in 1991
- 2006 RH120 – the first temporary Earth satellite discovered in situ 2006
- Claimed moons of Earth
- Quasi-satellite
References
- ^ a b c d e "MPEC 2020-D104 : 2020 CD3: Temporarily Captured Object". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "2020 CD3". Minor Planet Center. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ a b c "2020 CD3". NEO Exchange. Las Cumbres Observatory. 15 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ ""Pseudo-MPEC" for C26FED2". Project Pluto. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2020 CD3" (2020-02-21 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ "2020CD3". Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site. Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ Byrd, Deborah (26 February 2020). "Looks like Earth has a new natural moon". EarthSky. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
External links
- 2020 CD3 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
- 2020 CD3 at the JPL Small-Body Database
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