Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 1997 XF11
The uncertainty in the orbit of this Near-Earth asteroid was reduced when
Dr. E. Helin and K. Lawrence found "pre-discovery" observations of 1997
XF11 in Palomar data obtained with the PCAS program in 1990. Its closest
approach to the Earth, while still a "near miss," is no longer as close as
previously believed. Current estimates are that there is virtually no chance
of a collision betwen 1997XF11 and the Earth. Following are the two PCAS
images (Note: in the process of transferring the images from the original
film some resolution was lost and some artifacts introduced).
The times and positions for the new observations are:
|
Universal Time |
|
Right Ascension (2000) |
Declination |
|
| 1997XF11 |
1990 |
3 |
23.43993 |
13 |
14 |
0.86 |
-12 |
45 |
47.4 |
| 1997XF11 |
1990 |
3 |
23.46632 |
13 |
13 |
58.73 |
-12 |
45 |
34.4 |