2023 FY3

2023 FY₃ is a near-Earth object roughly 5 meters (16 ft) in diameter discovered by K. W. Wierzchos observing with the 0.68-m Schmidt + 10K CCD of the Catalina Sky Survey.^[1]

2023 FY₃

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	K. W. Wierzchos (Catalina Sky Survey)
Discovery date	25 March 2023
Designations
MPC designation	2023 FY3
Minor planet category	NEO Apollo risk listed[2]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 2023-Sep-13 (JD 2460200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Observation arc	30 days
Aphelion	1.1409631 AU (Q)
Perihelion	0.9971420 AU (q)
Semi-major axis	1.0690525 AU (a)
Eccentricity	0.0672657 (e)
Orbital period (sidereal)	1.1054 years
Mean anomaly	177.4436° (M)
Inclination	0.593148° (i)
Longitude of ascending node	1.8263° (Ω)
Time of perihelion	2023-Feb-25.99916
Argument of perihelion	154.4419° (ω)
Earth MOID	0.00452285 AU (676,609 km; 1.76015 LD)
Jupiter MOID	3.82341 AU (571,974,000 km)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	~5 m (16 ft)[2] 5 meters
Absolute magnitude (H)	29.0[4]

Details

The object orbits the Sun but makes slow close approaches to the Earth–Moon system. Due to its Earth-like orbit, the object might be of artificial origin or lunar ejecta. However, visible spectroscopy obtained with the Gran Telescopio Canarias shows that it is an asteroid.^[5] The closest approach to Earth in 2023 was 23 March 2023 at roughly 0.00369 au (343,000 mi) when it had a relative velocity of 1.46 km/s (3,300 mph).^[3]

The reflectance spectrum of 2023 FY₃ suggests that its origin is not artificial and also that it is not lunar ejecta;^[5] it is also different from the V type of 2020 CD3 and the K-type of 2022 NX₁.^[5] It is a S type asteroid and considering typical values of the albedo of the S-type asteroids and its absolute magnitude, 2023 FY₃ may have a size range of 5 m.^[5] Its light curve gives a rotation period of 9.3±0.6 min with an amplitude of 0.48±0.13 mag.^[5] This small asteroid roams the edge of Earth's co-orbital space and it is part of the Arjuna class. Currently exhibits horseshoe-like resonant behavior and experienced minimoon engagements of the temporarily captured flyby type in the past that may repeat in the future.

See also

• 1991 VG – near-Earth asteroid temporarily captured by Earth after its discovery in 1991
• 2006 RH120 – the first temporary Earth satellite discovered in situ 2006
• 2020 CD3 – another temporary Earth satellite discovered in 2020
• 2022 NX1 – another temporary Earth satellite discovered in 2022
• 2020 SO – a suspected near-Earth object identified as a rocket booster from the Surveyor 2 mission