1981 Midas
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | C. Kowal |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 6 March 1973 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | (1981) Midas |
|
Named after
|
Midas (Greek mythology) |
| 1973 EA | |
|
Apollo · NEO · PHA Venus- and Mars-crosser |
|
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 16 February 2017 (JD 2457800.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 41.97 yr (15,330 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.9307 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.6214 AU |
| 1.7760 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.6501 |
| 2.37 yr (865 days) | |
| 173.19° | |
| 0° 24m 59.04s / day | |
| Inclination | 39.833° |
| 356.90° | |
| 267.79° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.0036 AU |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions |
1.95±0.07 km 3.4 km (outdated) |
|
5.22 h 5.220 h |
|
| 0.2661 (derived) 0.293±0.025 |
|
| SMASS = V · V | |
| 15.18 · 15.2 · 15.50 · 15.6±0.2 · 15.96±0.23 | |
1981 Midas, provisional designation 1973 EA, is a vestoid asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid, approximately 2 kilometers in diameter.
It was discovered on 6 March 1973, by American astronomer Charles Kowal at Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California. It was named after King Midas from Greek mythology.
The moderately bright V-type asteroid is also an Apollo asteroid, as well as a Venus and Mars-crosser. The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.6–2.9 AU once every 2 years and 4 months (865 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.65 and an inclination of 40° with respect to the ecliptic.
Midas has a low minimum orbit intersection distance with Earth of 0.0036 AU (540,000 km; 330,000 mi), which corresponds to 1.5 lunar distance (Earth–Moon distance). However, it does not pose an impact risk for the foreseable future. Its last notable close approach to Earth was on 11 March 1992 passing 0.13332 AU (19,944,000 km; 12,393,000 mi) from Earth. The next notable close approach will be on 21 March 2018 passing 0.08957 AU (13,399,000 km; 8,326,000 mi) from Earth and shining at an apparent magnitude of +12.4. As no precoveries were taken, the asteroid's observation arc begins with its discovery observation at Palomar in 1973.
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