P/2016 G1 (PanSTARRS)

P/2016 G1 (PanSTARRS) was a main-belt asteroid that was destroyed by an impact event on 6 March 2016.^[4]

P/2016 G1 (PanSTARRS)

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Robert Weryk Richard Wainscoat
Discovery site	Pan-STARRS 1 Haleakala Observatory
Discovery date	1 April 2016
Designations
MPC designation	2016 G1
Minor planet category	Asteroid belt
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 30 April 2016 (JD 2457508.5)
Observation arc	198 days
Aphelion	3.126 AU
Perihelion	2.040 AU
Semi-major axis	2.583 AU
Orbital period (sidereal)	4.152 years
Mean anomaly	295.62°
Inclination	10.968°
Longitude of ascending node	204.07°
Argument of perihelion	111.28°
Earth MOID	1.057 AU
Physical characteristics[3]
Dimensions	200–400 m (660–1,310 ft)
Absolute magnitude (H)	16.1

Observational history

It was discovered by Robert Weryk and Richard Wainscoat of the Pan-STARRS 1 survey at Haleakala Observatory. The object was initially thought to be an Encke-type comet because of its diffuse appearance,^[5][6] so it received the periodic comet designation P/2016 G1.^[2] After further analysis, what had initially appeared to be a comet's halo turned out to be rubble from a collision. By November 2019, analysis suggested the collision had occurred on 6 March 2016, and the asteroid was struck by a smaller object that may have massed only 1.0 kg (2.2 lb), and was traveling at 11,000 mph (18,000 km/h).^[7] P/2016 G1's diameter was between 200 m (660 ft) and 400 m (1,300 ft).^[3] The asteroid had completely disintegrated by 2017.^[3]

Astronomers were able to use the asteroid's rubble to determine the date of the collision, since the dispersion of dust was inversely proportional to its size.^[3]

See also

• 354P/LINEAR
• 493 Griseldis
• 596 Scheila