2018 EC4

2018 EC4 is a small asteroid and Mars trojan orbiting near the L5 point of Mars (60 degrees behind Mars on its orbit).[2]

2018 EC4
Discovery
Discovered byMt. Lemmon Survey
Discovery date10 March 2018
Designations
2018 EC4
Martian L5
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc3131 days (8.57 yr)
Aphelion1.61579336 AU (241.719246 Gm)
Perihelion1.43135923 AU (214.128293 Gm)
1.52357630 AU (227.923770 Gm)
Eccentricity0.06052671
1.88 yr (686.90193 d)
203.4934°
0° 31m 26.732s /day
Inclination21.835796°
47.371564°
344.1754°
Earth MOID0.443437 AU (66.3372 Gm)
Jupiter MOID3.54199 AU (529.874 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions300 m
0.5-0.05 (assumed)
20.1

    Discovery, orbit and physical properties

    2018 EC4 was first observed on 10 March 2018 by the Mt. Lemmon Survey, but it had already been imaged (but not identified as an asteroid) by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope system at Haleakala on 29 October 2011.[3] Its orbit is characterized by low eccentricity (0.061), moderate inclination (21.8°) and a semi-major axis of 1.52 AU.[3] Upon discovery, it was classified as Mars-crosser by the Minor Planet Center. Its orbit is well determined as it is currently (January 2021) based on 70 observations with a data-arc span of 3,131 days.[1] 2018 EC4 has an absolute magnitude of 20.1 which gives a characteristic diameter of 300 m.[1]

    Mars trojan and orbital evolution

    Recent calculations indicate that it is a stable L5 Mars trojan with a libration period of 1250 yr and an amplitude of 17°.[2] These values are similar to those of 5261 Eureka and related objects and it may be a member of the so-called Eureka family.

    See also

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2018 EC4)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
    2. de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl (March 2021). "Using Mars co-orbitals to estimate the importance of rotation-induced YORP break-up events in Earth co-orbital space". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 501 (4): 6007–6025. arXiv:2101.02563. Bibcode:2021MNRAS.501.6007D. doi:10.1093/mnras/stab062.
    3. MPC data on 2018 EC4

    Further reading

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