NEAT September 2001 Interesting Objects

NEAT discovered 7 Near-Earth asteroids this month-an Aten, 3 Apollos, and 3 Amors, including 2 larger than 1 km in diameter and 2 PHAs. Further observations of Comet 2001 Q4 (NEAT) discovered last month indicate that it may be visible with the naked eye in May-June 2004.



Designat. NEAT name & Image Disc. with NEAT/ Date Vel. (deg/day) Mag. Size in km (miles) Orbit Visual. Comment*
OT2ALHB Palomar 1 Sep 1.7 17 Lost during full moon
OT5YHZC Palomar 1 Sep 0.7 19 Lost during full moon
1988 PX OWAI53B Palomar 10 Sep 0.4 17 Not NEA-Mars crosser
2001 RX8 OWEGBU MSSS 10 Sep 0.2 18 Not NEA-Mars crosser
2001 RW47 OXTPB6C Palomar 14 Sep 0.6 19 Not NEA
2001 RY47 OY7FFQB Palomar 15 Sep 0.9 19 0.7 (0.4) orbit Aten
OYT3BKB Palomar 17 Sep 0.7 19 Lost
2001 SL9 OZ91OYC Palomar 18 Sep 0.4 18 1.5 (0.9) orbit Apollo-large
2001 SF262 P094UWA Palomar 21 Sep 1.6 19 0.9 (0.5) orbit Amor
2001 SJ262 P0AQBEC Palomar 21 Sep 0.5 19 0.7 (0.4) orbit Amor
2001 SU169 P0BL16A Palomar 21 Sep 0.6 19 Not NEA
2001 SG262 P129M6B Palomar 23 Sep 1.3 19 0.8 (0.5) orbit Apollo --PHA
2001 SR263 P1F6IVC Palomar 24 Sep 0.2 19 0.4 (0.2) orbit Amor
2001 SW169 P1FAMD MSSS 24 Sep 0.4 19 0.7 (0.4) orbit Amor-low eccentricity, low inclination orbit -NEAT not credited for discovery
2001 SC273 P25IHIB Palomar 26 Sep 0.3 20 Not NEA
2001 SN289 P35KXUB Palomar 29 Sep 0.6 20 3.0 (1.8) orbit Apollo -large PHA-high inclination and eccentricity
2001 SX288 P3HHORC Palomar 30 Sep 1.0 20 Not NEA

*Amors, Apollos, and Atens are the three categories of Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Amor asteroids approach the Earth's orbit from the outside, Apollo asteroids cross the Earth's orbit, and Aten asteroids approach the Earth's orbit from the inside. Potentially Hazardous asteroids (PHAs) are larger than ~200 m (0.1 mile) and approach close enough to present a potential hazard but not a current hazard.