(163243) 2002 FB3
(163243) 2002 FB3, provisional designation 2002 FB3, is a stony asteroid on an eccentric orbit, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Athen group, approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) in diameter. It was discovered on 18 March 2002, by astronomers with the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States.[1] The Q-type asteroid has a rotation period of 6.2 hours.[3] Orbit and classification2002 FB3 is a member of the Athen group of asteroids. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.3–1.2 AU once every 8 months (243 days; semi-major axis of 0.76 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.60 and an inclination of 20° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Socorro.[1] Close approachesThe asteroid has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0034 AU (509,000 km; 316,000 mi), which corresponds to 1.3 lunar distances and makes it a potentially hazardous asteroid due to its sufficiently large size.[2] History of close approaches of large near-Earth objects since 1908 (A)
Physical characteristics2003 QO104 has been characterized as an uncommon Q-type asteroid, that fall into the larger stony S-complex.[3][8] Rotation periodIn March 2016, a rotational lightcurve of this asteroid was obtained from photometric observations. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 6.231 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.19 magnitude (U=2).[7] Diameter and albedoAccording to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, measures between 1.552 and 1.682 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.1426 and 0.202.[4][5][6] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a stony standard albedo of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 1.49 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 16.5.[3] NamingThis minor planet was numbered by the MPC on 26 September 2007 (M.P.C. 60678).[9] As of 2018, it has not been named.[1] References
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