1998 KY26

1998 KY26
Three views of a computer model of 1998 KY26, derived from radar observations in 1998
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered bySpacewatch
(Tom Gehrels)[3]
Discovery siteKitt Peak Obs.
Discovery date28 May 1998
(discovery: first observed only)
Designations
1998 KY26
NEO · Apollo[1][4]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc22.54 yr (8,231 days)
Aphelion1.4819 AU
Perihelion0.9840 AU
1.2329 AU
Eccentricity0.20192
1.37 yr (500.04 days)
359.504°
0° 43m 11.781s / day
Inclination1.4810°
84.366°
209.378°
Earth MOID0.002531 AU (0.985 LD)
Physical characteristics
30 m (effective diameter)[5]
20–40 m (range)[1]
0.1782 h[6]
0.1784 h[5][7]
0.12[5]
0.124 (derived)[4]
X[4]
B–R=0.083±0.070[5]
V–R=0.058±0.055[5]
R–I=0.088±0.053[5]
25.5±0.3[1][4][5]

1998 KY26 is a nearly spherical sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Apollo group. It measures approximately 30 meters (100 feet) in diameter and is a fast rotator, having a rotational period of only 10.7 minutes. It was first observed on 2 June 1998, by the Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak National Observatory during 6 days during which it passed 800,000 kilometers (half a million miles) away from Earth (a little more than twice the Earth–Moon distance).[2][3]

The object's orbit is well known, since it was recovered in 2002 by the Hawaiian Observatory, and it was most recently observed, from 10 till 15 December 2020, by the Cerro Paranal. La Palma Observatory, and Mauna Kea observatories.[8]

  1. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPC-1998KY26 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference spacewatch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference lcdb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Cite error: The named reference Ostro-1999 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hicks-1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pravec-1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPEC-2020-X181 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).