2005 LW3

2005 LW3
Radar image of 2005 LW3 and its satellite (below) by the Goldstone Solar System Radar on 23 November 2022
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered bySiding Spring Survey
Discovery siteSiding Spring Obs.
Discovery date5 June 2005
Designations
2005 LW3
NEO · Apollo · PHA
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 25 February 2023 (JD 2460000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc17.49 yr (6,389 days)[1]
Aphelion2.106 AU
Perihelion0.771 AU
1.439 AU
Eccentricity0.4638
1.73 yr (630.3 days)
81.385°
0° 34m 16.171s / day
Inclination6.021°
59.587°
5 October 2022
288.663°
Earth MOID0.001397 AU (209,000 km; 0.544 LD)
Jupiter MOID3.335 AU
Physical characteristics
400 m (primary)[4]
3.6 h[4]
0.02[5]
21.89[3] · 21.68[1]

2005 LW3 is a binary near-Earth asteroid classified as a potentially hazardous object of the Apollo group. It was discovered on 5 June 2005 by the Siding Spring Survey at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia.[2] It made a close approach of 2.97 lunar distances (1.14×10^6 km; 0.71×10^6 mi) from Earth on 23 November 2022, reaching a peak brightness of apparent magnitude 13 as it passed over the northern celestial hemisphere sky.[1] It was extensively observed by astronomers worldwide during the close approach, and radar observations by NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar in California discovered a 100 m (330 ft)-wide natural satellite orbiting the asteroid at a wide separation of 4 km (2.5 mi).[6][7]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference MPC-object was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPEC-2005-L19 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference CBET5198 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference johnston was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPEC-2022-U222 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Goldstone was invoked but never defined (see the help page).