2014 RC

2014 RC is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group. On 7 September 2014, it passed within 0.000267 AU (39,900 km; 24,800 mi) (0.1 LD) of Earth. The asteroid is approximately the diameter of the Chelyabinsk meteor,[4] and passed almost as close to Earth as 367943 Duende (2012 DA14) did in 2013.

2014 RC

2014 RC imaged by the Goldstone Radar on 7 September 2014
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered by	Catalina Sky Survey (703) Pan-STARRS (F51)
Discovery date	1–2 September 2014
Designations
Minor planet category	Apollo NEO
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc	18 days w/Radar
Aphelion	1.803891 AU (269.8583 Gm)
Perihelion	0.8206096 AU (122.76145 Gm)
Semi-major axis	1.312251 AU (196.3100 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.3746548
Orbital period	1.50 yr (549.06 d)[3]
Mean anomaly	287.9332°
Mean motion	0° 39^m 20.377^s / day
Inclination	4.573941°
Longitude of ascending node	345.005065°
Argument of perihelion	71.17158°
Earth MOID	0.000643292 AU (96,235.1 km)
Jupiter MOID	3.5698 AU (534.03 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	22 m (72 ft) (largest axis)[4] 12–25 m (39–82 ft)[5]
Mean density	>2.5 (assumed based on rotation/spectra)
Rotation period	15.8 seconds[4] 0.004389 h (15.80 s)[3]
Spectral type	Sq-class[4]
Apparent magnitude	11-41 28 (Nov/Dec 2014)
Absolute magnitude (H)	26.8[3]

With an absolute magnitude of 26.8,[3] the asteroid is about 11–25 meters (36–82 ft) in diameter depending on the albedo.[5] 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 12 meters (39 ft).[4] Measurements by multiple telescopes indicate that the asteroid rotates in 15.8 seconds making it one of the fastest rotating asteroids so far discovered.[4] Using the 15.8 second rotation period, more accurate radar observations by Goldstone shows the asteroid has a largest axis of at least 22 meters (72 ft).[4] 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 0.0053 AU (790,000 km; 490,000 mi) from the moon.[3] On 5 September 1973, the asteroid passed between 0.01052 AU (1,574,000 km; 978,000 mi) and 0.01207 AU (1,806,000 km; 1,122,000 mi) from Earth.[3] 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.[6]

2014 approach

It made a close approach to Earth of 0.000267 AU (39,900 km; 24,800 mi) (0.1 lunar distances) around 18:02 UTC on 7 September 2014.[3][7][8] The asteroid briefly brightened to about apparent magnitude 11.5,[9] but it was still not visible to the naked eye or common binoculars. At the peak brightness the asteroid had a declination of –47,[9] and was most easily visible over New Zealand. During 2014, asteroids 2014 AA and 2014 LY21 have come closer to Earth.

Asteroid 2014 RC[8]

Path around the Sun – 3 September 2014.

Path near the Earth – 7 September 2014.

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.[4]

Orbital shift

During the 2014 Earth close approach the orbital period of 2014 RC was reduced from 600 days to 549 days.[10] The orbital eccentricity decreased while the orbital inclination increased.

Parameter	Epoch	Aphelion (Q)	Perihelion (q)	Semi-major axis (a)	Eccentricity (e)	Period (p)	Inclination (i)	Longitude ascending node (Ω)	Mean anomaly (M)	Argument of perihelion (ω)
Units		AU				(days)	(°)
Pre-flyby	2014-09-01	1.9488	0.8344	1.3916	0.4004	599.62	1.4395°	345.48°	326.12°	65.879°
flyby	2014-09-07 18:02 UTC	2.0284	0.8150	1.4217	0.4267	619.17	1.4217°	345.09°	330.91°	68.602°
Post-flyby	2014-10-01	1.8042	0.8207	1.3124	0.3747	549.18	4.5744°	345.01°	340.41°	71.187°

Close-approach table

Object	Date (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	<0.01	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	<0.01	0.000845	0.329	0.000845	0.329	–
Earth	2014-09-07 18:02	<0.01	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

• List of fast rotators (minor planets)

References

1. "MPEC 2014-R23 : 2014 RC". IAU Minor Planet Center. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014. (K14R00C)
2. "MPEC 2014-R26 : 2014 RC". IAU Minor Planet Center. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
3. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2014 RC)" (last observation: 7 September 2014; arc: 18 days). Retrieved 4 April 2016.
4. "Reports of Meteorite Strike in Nicaragua and Update on Asteroid 2014 RC". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
5. "JPL – Absolute Magnitude". NASA. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
6. "Date/Time Removed". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
7. "NASA reports asteroid to pass close, but safely past Earth". clarksvilleonline.com. Clarksville Online. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
8. Agle, DC; Brown, Dwayne (3 September 2014). "Small Asteroid to Safely Pass Close to Earth Sunday". NASA. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
9. "2014RC Ephemerides for 7 September 2014". NEODyS (Near Earth Objects – Dynamic Site). Retrieved 5 September 2014.
10. Horizons output. "Horizon Online Ephemeris System". Retrieved 7 September 2014. ("Ephemeris Type: Elements" PR value)

External links

• ASTEROID 2014 RC Tracking
• Close Approach of Asteroid 2014 RC (Remanzacco Observatory)
• Small Asteroid Will Pass Earth Closely but Safely on Sunday (Phil Plait)
• 2014 RC at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters