2014 RC explained

Minorplanet:yes
2014 RC
Background:
  1. FFC2E0
Discovered:1 September 2014
(first observed only)
Mpc Name:2014 RC
Epoch:1 July 2021 (JD 2459396.5)
Uncertainty:3
Perihelion:0.8211 AU
Semimajor:1.3138 AU
Eccentricity:0.3750
Period:1.51 yr (550 d)
Mean Motion: / day
Inclination:4.5687°
Asc Node:344.91°
Arg Peri:71.090°
Moid:0.0003 AU (0.1169 LD)
Dimensions: (largest axis)
Mean Diameter: (est.)
Magnitude:28 (Nov/Dec 2014)
Abs Magnitude:26.8

2014 RC is a sub-kilometer near-Earth object and Apollo asteroid. The exceptionally fast rotator passed within 0.000267abbr=onNaNabbr=on (0.1 lunar distances) of Earth on 7 September 2014. The asteroid is approximately the diameter of the Chelyabinsk meteor, and passed almost as close to Earth as 367943 Duende did in 2013.

With an absolute magnitude of 26.8, the asteroid is about 11- in diameter depending on the albedo. Observations by the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility conclude the asteroid is a fairly bright Sq-class asteroid which have an average albedo of around 0.24, and would give the asteroid a spherical equivalent diameter of 12m (39feet). Measurements by multiple telescopes indicate that the asteroid rotates in 15.8 seconds making it one of the fastest rotating asteroids so far discovered. Using the 15.8 second rotation period, more accurate radar observations by Goldstone shows the asteroid has a largest axis of at least 22m (72feet). Due to the asteroid's fast rotation, it is a monolith and not a rubble pile.

On 8 September 2115 the asteroid will pass about 0.0053abbr=onNaNabbr=on from the Moon. On 5 September 1973, the asteroid passed between 0.01052abbr=onNaNabbr=on and 0.01207abbr=onNaNabbr=on from Earth. 2014 RC was removed from the JPL Sentry Risk Table on 5 September 2014 and there are no known possible impact dates in the next 100 years.

2014 approach

It made a close approach to Earth of 0.000267abbr=onNaNabbr=on (0.1 LD) around 18:02 UTC on 7 September 2014. The asteroid briefly brightened to about apparent magnitude 11.5, but it was still not visible to the naked eye or common binoculars. At the peak brightness the asteroid had a declination of –47, and was most easily visible over New Zealand. During 2014, asteroids 2014 AA and have come closer to Earth.

The Managua explosion on 6 September 2014 may or may not have been created by a bolide that was missed by millions of people, but either way it was not caused by the close approach of 2014 RC.

Orbital shift

During the 2014 Earth close approach the orbital period of 2014 RC was reduced from 600 days to 549 days. The orbital eccentricity decreased while the orbital inclination increased.

width= 70Parameterwidth= 80Epochwidth= 60Aphelion
(Q)
width= 60Perihelion
(q)
width=100Semi-major axis
(a)
width= 60Eccentricity
(e)
width= 60Period
(p)
width= 60Inclination
(i)
width=170Longitude ascending node
(Ω)
width=100Mean anomaly
(M)
width=150Argument of perihelion
(ω)
UnitsAU(days)(°)
Pre-flyby2014-09-011.94880.83441.39160.4004599.621.4395°345.48°326.12°65.879°
flyby2014-09-07 18:02 UTC2.02840.81501.42170.4267619.171.4217°345.09°330.91°68.602°
Post-flyby2014-10-011.80420.82071.31240.3747549.184.5744°345.01°340.41°71.187°

Close-approach table

ObjectDate (UTC)Date
error
(hours)
Nominal
distance
(AU)
Nominal
distance
(LD)
Minimum
distance
(AU)
Minimum
distance
(LD)
Apparent
magnitude
(V)
Earth 1945-09-06 05:53 47.16 0.00442 1.72 0.00101 0.39 17.3
Moon 1945-09-06 14:33 52.48 0.00508 1.98 0.00103 0.40
Mars 1957-10-09 13:55 5.40 0.06371 24.78 0.05267 20.49
Earth 1973-09-05 21:42 0.62 0.01169 4.55 0.01089 4.24 19.3
Earth 1987-01-17 01:02 0.30 0.03724 14.49 0.03686 14.34 22.4
Earth 1991-09-27 05:38 1.03 0.09911 38.55 0.09878 38.43 27.0
Mars 1999-09-22 14:00 0.03739 14.54 0.03712 14.44
Earth 2009-12-30 13:10 0.28 0.08634 33.59 0.08622 33.54 26.0
Moon 2014-09-07 08:47 0.000845 0.329 0.000845 0.329
Earth 2014-09-07 18:02 0.000267 0.104 0.000267 0.104 15.9
Earth 2017-09-11 13:50 0.15 0.03864 15.03 0.03850 14.98 23.3
Earth 2020-09-22 21:24 0.35 0.09908 38.54 0.09893 38.48 26.1
Earth 2039-01-21 23:38 0.13 0.06224 24.21 0.06215 24.18 24.0
Earth 2042-01-27 18:19 0.10 0.06322 24.59 0.06313 24.56 23.6
Earth 2109-09-01 16:27 0.07 0.09959 38.74 0.09945 38.69 24.7
Earth 2112-09-06 21:13 0.08 0.02253 8.76 0.02241 8.72 21.1
Moon 2115-09-08 19:11 0.15 0.00558 2.17 0.005350 2.08
Earth 2115-09-08 22:50 0.17 0.00785 3.05 0.00763 2.97 18.5
Mars 2140-10-13 22:42 2.85 0.07152 27.82 0.05471 21.28
Earth 2159-02-02 22:17 16.90 0.08084 31.45 0.05563 21.64 24.2
Earth 2162-01-19 14:04 38.85 0.09376 36.47 0.07273 28.29 25.2
Earth 2170-09-19 02:08 9.12 0.07413 28.84 0.06707 26.09 25.1
Earth 2173-09-04 16:52 1.38 0.06123 23.82 0.05950 23.15 23.5

See also

External links