2014 HQ124

2014 HQ124
Radar image of 2014 HQ124 taken by the Arecibo Observatory on 8 June 2014
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered byNEOWISE (C51)
Discovery date23 April 2014
Designations
2014 HQ124
NEO · Aten · PHA[1][3]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 1
Observation arc4.09 yr (1,495 d)
Aphelion1.0712 AU
Perihelion0.6303 AU
0.8508 AU
Eccentricity0.2591
287 days
97.870°
1° 15m 21.6s / day
Inclination26.371°
257.56°
144.51°
Earth MOID0.0084 AU (3.27 LD)
Physical characteristics
0.409±0.168 km[4][5]
>16 h[6][7]
0.291±0.216[4][5]
S (assumed)[6]
18.9[1][3]

2014 HQ124 is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Aten group, approximately 400 meters (1,300 feet) in diameter. It passed 3.25 lunar distances (LD) from Earth on 8 June 2014.[8] It was discovered on 23 April 2014 by NEOWISE.[2] It is estimated that an impact event would have had the energy equivalent of 2,000 megatons of TNT and would have created a 5 km (3 mi) impact crater.[9] The news media misleadingly nicknamed it The Beast.[10] 2014 HQ124 previously passed this close to Earth in 1952[8] and will not again until at least 2307.[11] Radar imaging suggests it may be a contact binary.[12]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference MPC-object was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPEC2014-H67 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. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Mainzer-2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Ferret was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference lcdb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Thirouin-2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference jpl-close was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference SA20140606 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ @AreciboRadar (8 June 2014). "For the record, we do not use nicknames to refer to asteroids. Anthropomorphizing nature is confusing and misleading" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Busch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference JPL186 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).