354P/LINEAR

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354P/LINEAR
Synodic rotation period
11.36±0.02 h
Albedounknown
~18-20[1]
21.3±0.6[6]

354P/LINEAR,

solar radiation pressure.[7][8]

Overview

Orbit of P/2010 A2 at the time of its discovery

P/2010 A2 was discovered on 6 January 2010 by

arc of the 3.5 year orbit.[3] It appears to have come to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) around the start of December 2009,[3]
about a month before it was discovered.

With an aphelion (furthest distance from the Sun) of only 2.6 AU,[3] P/2010 A2 spends all of its time inside of the frostline at 2.7 AU.[11] Beyond the frostline volatile ices are generally more common. Early observations did not detect water vapor or other gases.[12] Within less than a month of its discovery it was doubtful that the tail of P/2010 A2 was generated via active outgassing from sublimation of ices hidden beneath the crust.[13] Early modeling indicated that the asteroid became active in late March 2009, reached maximum activity in early June 2009, and eased activity in early December 2009.[14]

354P/LINEAR as seen an 8 min photo with a 24" telescope

Observations with the

solar radiation resulting in a loss of mass that formed a comet-like tail.[17]

P/2010 A2 is likely about 150 meters (460 feet) in diameter.[12] Even when it was discovered it was suspected of being less than 500 meters in diameter.[18]

The orbit of P/2010 A2 is consistent with membership in the Flora asteroid family, produced by collisional shattering more than 100 million years ago.[12] The Flora family of asteroids may be the source of the Chicxulub (Cretaceous–Paleogene) impactor, the likely culprit in the extinction of the dinosaurs.[12]

Debris field

P/2010 A2 is likely the debris left over from a recent collision between two very small asteroids.
Surviving fragment

Surviving fragment seen to the lower left of debris field

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Marsden, Brian G. (7 January 2010). "MPEC 2010-A32 : COMET P/2010 A2 (LINEAR)". IAU Minor Planet Center. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  2. ^ "When is a comet not a comet? Rosetta finds out". ESA News. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: P/2010 A2 (LINEAR)" (last observation: 2012-10-14; arc: 2.83 years). Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  4. ^ JPL Horizons Observer Location: @sun (Perihelion occurs when deldot changes from negative to positive.)
  5. ^
    doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa7944
    . L23.
  6. ^ This absolute asteroidal V magnitude has been calculated using comet/asteroid magnitude analysis software "Comet for Windows" from value of R = 23.0±0.5 taken from IAU Circular No. 9109. The mean V-R color index for asteroids is +0.4±0.1.
  7. ^ HST Sees Evidence of Colliding Asteroids, Astronomy Today, Feb.2, 2010
  8. ^ Jewitt, David C. "P/2010 A2 (LINEAR): Possible Asteroid Smash". UCLA (Department of Earth and Space Sciences). Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  9. ^ Hergenrother, Carl W.; The Curious Case of Comet LINEAR, The Transient Sky, 10 January 2010 (1.8-m telescope on Kitt Peak)
  10. ^ Catalogue of Comet Discoveries, Comethunter.de
  11. ^ "Glossary of Astronomical Terms (Ice line)". Glossary of Astronomical Terms. Archived from the original on 14 February 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  12. ^ a b c d Harrington, J. D.; Villard, Ray (2 February 2010). "Suspected Asteroid Collision Leaves Trailing Debris". NASA Release : 10-029. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  13. ^ Jewitt, David C. "P/2010 A2 (LINEAR): The 5th Main-Belt Comet". UCLA (Department of Earth and Space Sciences). Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  14. ^ Méndez, Javier (23 July 2010). "Comet P/2010 A2, an Activated Asteroid from the Main Asteroid Belt". Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (ING). Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  15. S2CID 205222567
    .
  16. S2CID 4330570
    .
  17. ^ Harrington, J. D.; Weaver, Donna; Jewitt, David C. (13 October 2010). "Hubble Finds that a Bizarre X-Shaped Intruder Is Linked to an Unseen Asteroid Collision". Hubblesite newscenter STScI-2010-34. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  18. Shanklin, Jonathan (18 January 2010). "BAA Comet Section : Comets discovered in 2010"
    . Institute of Astronomy (British Astronomical Association). Retrieved 21 January 2010.

External links
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