3554 Amun

3554 Amun is an M-type Aten asteroid (meaning it crosses Earth's orbit) and a Venus-crosser. It was discovered on 4 March 1986 by Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at Mount Palomar Observatory. Its estimated diameter is 3.341 kilometers, making it one of the smallest known M-type asteroids. Amun was the fifth Aten asteroid to be numbered.

3554 Amun
Orbit diagram of asteroid Amun with location as of September 9, 2012
Discovery
Discovered byC. Shoemaker
E. M. Shoemaker
Discovery date4 March 1986
Designations
(3554) Amun
Named after
Amun
1986 EB
Aten[1]
Venus-crosser asteroid
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc10923 days (29.91 yr)
Aphelion1.24677 AU (186.514 Gm)
Perihelion0.700578 AU (104.8050 Gm)
0.973675 AU (145.6597 Gm)
Eccentricity0.28048
0.96 yr (350.9 d)
184.781°
1.02585°/day
Inclination23.3626°
358.627°
359.392°
Earth MOID0.250204 AU (37.4300 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
3.341 km[1]
Mass~1.6×1013 kg
2.53001 h (0.105417 d)[1]
0.1284 ± 0.024[1]
M-type asteroid
15.82[1]

    Amun was once considered metallic, based on its M-type spectrum. In Mining the Sky, planetary scientist John S. Lewis calculated the value of 3554 Amun at $20 trillion.[2]

    (6178) 1986 DA is another M-type near-Earth asteroid with lower inclination that is actually metallic.

    Amun passes closest to Venus, and in 1964, 2034, and 2103 comes within 10 Gm of it.[1]

    References

    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3554 Amun (1986 EB)" (2014-02-19 last obs (arc=27.9 yr)). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
    2. "NSS Review: Mining the Sky". www.nss.org. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2018.


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