(671294) 2014 JO25: A Close Encounter with Earth
2014 JO25 is a near-Earth asteroid that was discovered in May 2014 by astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona. This project is part of NASA’s NEO Observations Program in collaboration with the University of Arizona.
Orbit and Classification
2014 JO25 belongs to the Apollo asteroids, a group that crosses the orbit of Earth. It is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid due to its significant size and a minimum orbital intersection distance (MOID) with Earth of less than 0.05 AU.
This asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance ranging from 0.25 to 3.90 AU every 3 years, with a semi-major axis of 2.07 AU. Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.89 and an inclination of 25° relative to the ecliptic. 2014 JO25 also crosses the orbits of Venus and Mercury.
The observation arc of 2014 JO25 began with a precovery taken by Pan-STARRS in May 2011, three years before its official first observation at Mount Lemmon.
Close Approaches
This asteroid had a close flyby of Earth on April 19, 2017, coming within 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) of our planet. At its closest approach, it reached an apparent magnitude of 10.76.
The 2017 flyby was the closest approach to Earth by 2014 JO25 for at least the next 400 years.
Physical Characteristics
2014 JO25 is a peanut-shaped contact binary asteroid, assumed to be a stony S-type asteroid. Its shape resembles the “rubber ducky” nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Diameter and Albedo
Initial estimates suggest a diameter between 600 and 1400 meters. Research using data from NEOWISE in 2014 indicated a diameter of 650 m with an albedo of 0.25. Further calculations led to estimates of approximately 720 m in diameter based on an absolute magnitude of 18.1.
Rotation Period
Observations in 2017 provided a rotation period of approximately 4.5 hours. A refined analysis showed a rotation period of 4.531 hours, with a brightness amplitude between 0.14 and 0.64 magnitude.
Numbering and Naming
2014 JO25 was officially numbered by the Minor Planet Center on March 22, 2024 (M.P.C. 172656). As of April 2024, it remains unnamed.
Gallery
Radar images of 2014 JO25 were captured on April 18, 2017 by the Goldstone Solar System Radar.
In Context
2014 JO25 was plotted against other near-Earth objects during its closest flyby to Earth in 2017.
References
For more information, visit: