2012 BX34

2012 BX₃₄ is a small Aten asteroid that made one of the closest recorded asteroid close approaches of Earth on 27 January 2012. It passed within 0.0004371 AU (65,390 km; 40,630 mi) of Earth during its closest approach at 15:25 GMT.^[6] 2012 BX₃₄ measures around 8 meters (26 ft) across; if it had impacted in 2012, it would have been too small to pass through Earth's atmosphere intact.^[7]

2012 BX₃₄

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Catalina Sky Survey
Discovery date	25 January 2012
Designations
Minor planet category	Aten
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Aphelion	1.0332 AU (154.56 Gm) (Q)
Perihelion	0.48892 AU (73.141 Gm) (q)
Semi-major axis	0.76105 AU (113.851 Gm) (a)
Eccentricity	0.35757 (e)
Orbital period (sidereal)	0.66 yr (242.5 d)
Average orbital speed	1.48200135°/day
Mean anomaly	211.76° (M)
Mean motion	1.4845°/day (n)
Inclination	10.527° (i)
Longitude of ascending node	306.74° (Ω)
Argument of perihelion	335.834° (ω)
Earth MOID	0.000288322 AU (43,132.4 km)
Jupiter MOID	4.09701 AU (612.904 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	~8 meters (26 ft)[3][4]
Synodic rotation period	1.80828 h (0.075345 d)[2]
Apparent magnitude	~13.9[5] to 30.3
Absolute magnitude (H)	27.6[2]

During its 2012 close approach to Earth, 2012 BX₃₄ had a brightest apparent magnitude of about 13.9,^[5] making it about as bright as the dwarf planet Pluto. By 25 February 2012, it had dimmed to magnitude 30.^[1] During its close approach of 0.0246 AU (3,680,000 km; 2,290,000 mi) on 28 January 2014,^[6] it will only reach a magnitude of about 23.^[8] 2012 BX₃₄ has been observed in more detail using radar astronomy.^[9]

Animation of 2012 BX34's orbit around Sun
  2012 BX34 ·   Sun ·   Earth

See also

• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2012