2012 KT42
{{Short description|Asteroid}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{mp|2012 KT|42}}}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox planet
|minorplanet=yes
|background=#FFC2E0
|name={{mp|2012 KT|42}}
|mp_category={{Hlist
| Apollo
| NEO
}}
|eccentricity=0.55470
|semimajor={{Convert|1.5977|AU|Gm|abbr=on}}
|perihelion={{Convert|0.71144|AU|Gm|abbr=on}}
|mean_anomaly=261.31°
|inclination=2.1932°
|asc_node=69.515°
|periastron=94.628°
|aphelion={{Convert|2.4839|AU|Gm|abbr=on|lk=on}}
|dimensions=~{{Val|4|-|10}} metres
|abs_magnitude={{Ubl
}}
|epoch=13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
|arg_peri=259.13°
|mean_motion={{Deg2DMS|0.48807|sup=ms}} / day
|rotation={{Convert|0.06057|h|min|abbr=on|lk=on}}
|uncertainty=5
|moid={{Convert|0.000968708|AU|km|abbr=on}}
}}
{{mp|2012 KT|42}} is an Apollo near-Earth asteroid first observed by astronomer Alex R. Gibbs of the Mount Lemmon Survey with a 1.5-meter reflecting telescope on 28 May 2012.
Overview
The asteroid had a close approach to the Earth on 29 May 2012, approaching to only ~8950 miles (~14,440 km) above the planet's surface. This means {{mp|2012 KT|42}} came inside the Clarke Belt of geosynchronous satellites. In May 2012, the estimated 5- to 10-metre-wide asteroid ranked #6 on the top 20 list of closest-approaches to Earth. There was no danger of a collision during the close approach. {{mp|2012 KT|42}} passed roughly {{convert|0.01|AU|km mi|abbr=on|lk=on}} from Venus on 8 July 2012.
It is estimated that an impact would produce an upper atmosphere air burst equivalent to 11 kt TNT, roughly equal to Hiroshima's Little Boy. The asteroid would be vaporized as these small impacts occur approximately once per year. A comparable-sized object caused the Sutter's Mill meteorite in California on 2 April 2012. It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 30 May 2012.
References
{{reflist|refs=
|type=last observation: 2012-05-29; arc: 1 day; uncertainty: 5
|title=JPL Close-Approach Data: (2012 KT42)
|url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2012KT42;cad=1#cad
|accessdate=1 April 2016}}
|title=Earth Impact Risk Summary: 2012 KT42
|publisher=NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office
|url=http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/2012kt42.html
|accessdate=2012-05-29}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
|date=2012-05-29
|title=2012 KT42 Orbit
|publisher=Minor Planet Center
|url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2012+KT42
|accessdate=2012-05-30}}
|title=Conversion of Absolute Magnitude to Diameter
|publisher=Minor Planet Center
|url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/Sizes.html
|accessdate=2012-05-30}}
|title=Date/Time Removed
|publisher=NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office
|url=http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/removed.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020602101400/http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/removed.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=2002-06-02
|accessdate=2012-05-30}}
}}
External links
- [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2012+KT42;orb=1;cad=1 JPL Small-Body Database Browser for 2012 KT42]
- [http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2012/05/2012-kt42-close-approach.html 2012 KT42 - Close Approach] (Remanzacco Observatory in Italy)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120531223135/http://spaceweather.com/submissions/large_image_popup.php?image_name=Ernesto-Guido-Giovanni-Sostero-a-Nick-Howes-stack_1338229691.jpg Images from Flyby] (spaceweather.com)
- [http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K12/K12K66.html MPEC 2012-K66 : 2012 KT42] (Minor Planet Center Discovery announcement)
- [http://planetarydefense.blogspot.com/2012/05/asteroid-2012-kt42-one-of-closest.html Planetary Defense Blog post on 2012 KT42]
- [http://www.universetoday.com/95493/video-tiny-asteroid-2012-kt42-crossing-the-sky/ Video: Tiny Asteroid 2012 KT42 Crossing The Sky] (universetoday 29 May 2012)
- [http://orbit.psi.edu/~tricaric/2012KT42.html The Peculiar Flyby of Asteroid 2012 KT42] (Pasquale Tricarico : 29 May 2012)
- {{NeoDys|2012+KT42}}
- {{ESA-SSA|2012KT42}}
- {{JPL small body}}
{{2012 in space}}
{{Planetary defense}}
{{Small Solar System bodies}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2012 KT42}}