2004 BX159

2004 BX159, is an asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 1.2 kilometers in diameter. It was first observed at Paranal Observatory in the Atacama desert of Chile on 20 January 2004.[2] 2004 BX159 missed the virtual impactor date of 29 August 2009.[5] The asteroid was removed from the Sentry Risk Table in April 2014[6] as a result of precovery images establishing it is a harmless main belt asteroid.

2004 BX159
Discovery [1][2]
Discovered byParanal Obs.
Discovery siteParanal Obs.
Discovery date20 January 2004
(discovery: first observation only)
Designations
2004 BX159
main-belt [1][2] · (middle)
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc19.97 yr (7,293 days)
Earliest precovery date14 July 1997
Aphelion2.8997 AU
Perihelion2.1632 AU
2.5315 AU
Eccentricity0.1455
4.03 yr (1,471 days)
355.95°
0° 14m 40.92s / day
Inclination4.0931°
159.75°
153.29°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions1.2 km (estimate)[3]
1.8 km (est. at 0.10)[4]
16.9[1]

    Description

    2004 BX159 orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.2–2.9 AU once every 4.03 years (1,471 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

    After discovery, it was thought to be a Mars-crossing asteroid because of its poorly known orbit, and was listed on the Sentry Risk Table as a possible impactor.[5] With an observation arc of 3 days and only 8 observations, perihelion was determined to be 1.5±3 astronomical units (AU).[7]

    Precovery observations in archival data of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea were identified in early 2014, resulting in a dramatic improvement of the orbital accuracy, sufficient to recognize the object as a regular main belt asteroid, not posing any danger to Earth.[1]

    The body was subsequently linked by the Minor Planet Center with additional observations reported since 1997. It has now a well-established orbit, observed over decades, with the lowest possible uncertainty of 0.[1]

    It is even known that 2004 BX159 passed 0.0036 AU (540,000 km; 330,000 mi) from asteroid 3 Juno on 18 September 1961.[1]

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2004 BX159)" (2017-07-02 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
    2. "2004 BX159". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
    3. "Asteroid 2004 BX159 Impact Risk". Wayback Machine: NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. 1 April 2014 [computed on 2011-09-14]. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014.
    4. "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS/JPL. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
    5. "WayBack Machine archive from 18 Feb 2007". Wayback Machine. 18 February 2007. Archived from the original on 18 February 2007.
    6. Removed Objects "Near Earth Object Program". Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2018.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
    7. JPL solution 3 (solution date 2011-Sep-14) "(2004 BX159)". Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2019.

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