2022 QX4

2022 QX4
Discovery[1]
Discovered byATLAS (W68)
Discovery date24 August 2022
Designations
2022 QX4
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 2022-Aug-09 (JD 2459800.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc9 years
Earliest precovery date16 August 2013
Aphelion1.025 AU (Q)
Perihelion0.33713 AU (q)
0.6809 AU (a)
Eccentricity0.50481 (e)
0.562 years
154.3° (M)
Inclination0.14800° (i)
335.6° (Ω)
13 May 2022
176.2° (ω)
Earth MOID0.00027 AU (40 thousand km; 0.11 LD)
Jupiter MOID3.97 AU (594 million km)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions
  • ~40 m (100 ft)[2]
  • 30–70 meters
24.7[1]

2022 QX4 is a Tunguska event-sized asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Aten group, approximately 40 meters (130 feet) in diameter.[2] It was discovered by ATLAS on 24 August 2022,[1] when it was 0.03 AU (4.5 million km) from Earth. On 4 September 2022 with an observation arc of 8 days, it was listed with a 1-in-109 chance of impacting Earth with a Torino scale of 1 for a virtual impactor on 4 September 2068 00:52 UTC.[2] Five precovery images from August 2013 were published on 11 September 2022[4] extending the observation arc to 9 years and 2022 QX4 was removed from the Sentry Risk Table. The nominal approach is expected to occur 26 August 2068.[5]

Closest approach to Earth in 2022 occurred on 29 August 2022 at a distance of about 1.8 million km.[3] The asteroid passed about 130,000 km (0.34 LD) from Earth on 5 September 1977.[3]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference MPC-object was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference risk-list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPEC2022-R148 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference CA2068 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).