Discovered by NEOWISE (C51) MPC designation 2014 HQ124 Discovered 23 April 2014 Absolute magnitude 18.9 | Discovery date 23 April 2014 Minor planet category Aten
NEO, PHA Earth moid 0.9 cm Asteroid group Near-Earth asteroid | |
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Aphelion 1.0713 AU (160.26 Gm) (Q) Perihelion 0.63032 AU (94.295 Gm) (q) Similar Solar System, 2014 DX110, 2000 EM26, 2014 RC, (357439) 2004 BL86 | ||
Radar observations of asteroid 2014 hq124
2014 HQ124 (also written 2014 HQ124) is an Aten near-Earth asteroid roughly 370 meters (1,210 ft) in diameter that passed 3.25 lunar distances (LD) from Earth on 8 June 2014. It was discovered on 23 April 2014 by NEOWISE. It is estimated that an impact event would have had the energy equivalent of 2,000 megatons of TNT and would have created a 5 km (3 mi) impact crater. The news media misleadingly nicknamed it, The Beast. 2014 HQ124 previously passed this close to Earth in 1952 and will not again until at least 2307. Radar imaging suggests it may be a contact binary.
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Radar observations of asteroid 2014 hq124
2014 close approach
On 6 June 2014, the asteroid brightened to about apparent magnitude 13.7 while in the southern constellation of Horologium. Near its closest approach to Earth of 3.25 Lunar distances on 8 June 2014, the asteroid crossed the celestial equator, making it a northern hemisphere object. It however had an elongation of about 20 degrees from the Sun, and was lost in astronomical twilight during the closest approach to Earth. The Goldstone Deep Space Network observed the asteroid later on 8 June 2014, when the asteroid was between 3.6 and 3.8 lunar distances.
On average, an object about the size of 2014 HQ124 will pass this close to Earth every few years. Similar events, where other 100+ meter diameter asteroids have or will soon pass less than 4 LD from Earth, include: