3360 Syrinx

3360 Syrinx (originally designated 1981 VA) is an Apollo and Mars crosser asteroid discovered in 1981. It approaches Earth to within 40 Gm (0.27 AU; 100 LD) three times in the 21st century: 33 Gm (0.22 AU; 86 LD) in 2039, 40 Gm in 2070, and 24 Gm (0.16 AU; 62 LD) in 2085.

(3360) Syrinx

Discovery
Discovered by	Eleanor F. Helin R. Scott Dunbar
Discovery date	4 November 1981
Designations
MPC designation	(3360) Syrinx
Pronunciation	/ˈsɪrɪŋks/[1]
Named after	Syrinx
Alternative designations	1981 VA
Minor planet category	Apollo Mars crosser Alinda family
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	12556 days (34.38 yr)
Aphelion	4.30603 AU (644.173 Gm)
Perihelion	0.62791 AU (93.934 Gm)
Semi-major axis	2.46697 AU (369.053 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.74547
Orbital period (sidereal)	3.87 yr (1415.3 d)
Mean anomaly	315.35°
Mean motion	0° 15m 15.732s / day
Inclination	21.154°
Longitude of ascending node	242.561°
Argument of perihelion	63.457°
Earth MOID	0.107877 AU (16.1382 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	1.8 km
Mean radius	0.9 km
Geometric albedo	0.17
Absolute magnitude (H)	15.9

On 20 September 2012, it closely encountered Earth at a distance of 0.4192 AU (62,710,000 km; 38,970,000 mi),^[2] peaking in brightness at an apparent magnitude of 17.0.^[3] In opposition on 23 November 2012, it brightened to magnitude 16.0.^[3]

It is a member of the Alinda group of asteroids with a 3:1 resonance with Jupiter that has excited the eccentricity of the orbit over the eons.^[4] As an Alinda asteroid it makes approaches to Jupiter, Earth, and Venus.^[2]

For a time, it was the lowest numbered asteroid that had not been named. In November 2006, this distinction passed to 3708 Socus, and in May 2021 to (4596) 1981 QB.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of asteroids
• Syrinx