2002 MN is the provisional designation given to a 73-meter Apollo near-Earth asteroid that on 14 June 2002 passed Earth at a distance of 0.0008 AU (120,000 km; 74,000 mi),[3] about one third the distance to the Moon (0.3 LD).[5] The close approach was second only to the Earth approach by the 10-meter asteroid 1994 XM1.[5] 2002 MN was discovered on 17 June 2002, three days after closest approach.[1] Its mass and relative velocity were in the same general range as the object ascribed to the Tunguska event of 1908, which leveled over 2,100 km2 (800 sq mi) of trees in Siberia.

2002 MN
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered byMIT Lincoln Laboratory
Discovery date17 June 2002
Designations
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 17 October 2024 (JD 2460600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc22.04 yr
Aphelion2.7238 AU (407.47 Gm)
Perihelion0.90867 AU (135.935 Gm)
1.8162 AU (271.70 Gm)
Eccentricity0.49969
2.4477 yr (894.03 d)
62.941°
0.40267° / day
Inclination1.0472°
85.287°
131.622°
Earth MOID0.000488451 AU (73,071.2 km)
Jupiter MOID2.24448 AU (335.769 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions~73 meters (240 ft)[4]
(assumed)[a]
Mass5.4×108 kg
23.6[3]

2002 MN was estimated to have a 1 in 360,000 chance of Earth impact sometime after 2070,[4] but further observations in July 2024[6] ruled this out, and the object was removed from the risk list.

History of closest approaches of large near-Earth objects since 1914
(less than H 24 and 1 LD)(A)
NEO Date Approach distance in lunar distances Abs. mag
(H)
Diameter (C)
(m)
Ref (D)
Nominal(B) Minimum Maximum
(152680) 1998 KJ9 1914-12-31 0.606 0.604 0.608 19.4 279–900 data
(458732) 2011 MD5 1918-09-17 0.911 0.909 0.913 17.9 556–1795 data
(163132) 2002 CU11 1925-08-30 0.903 0.901 0.905 18.5 443–477 data
2010 VB1 1936-01-06 0.553 0.553 0.553 23.2 48–156 data
2002 JE9 1971-04-11 0.616 0.587 0.651 21.2 122–393 data
2013 UG1 1976-10-17 0.854 0.853 0.855 22.3 73–237 data
2012 TY52 1982-11-04 0.818 0.813 0.822 21.4 111–358 data
2012 UE34 1991-04-08 0.847 0.676 1.027 23.3 46–149 data
2017 VW13 2001-11-08 0.373 0.316 3.236 20.7 153–494 data
2002 MN 2002-06-14 0.312 0.312 0.312 23.6 40–130 data
(308635) 2005 YU55 2011-11-08 0.845 0.845 0.845 21.9 320–400 data
2011 XC2 2011-12-03 0.904 0.901 0.907 23.2 48–156 data
2018 AH 2018-01-02 0.773 0.772 0.773 22.5 67–216 data
2018 GE3 2018-04-15 0.502 0.501 0.503 23.7 35–135 data
2010 WC9 2018-05-15 0.528 0.528 0.528 23.5 42–136 data
(153814) 2001 WN5 2028-06-26 0.647 0.647 0.647 18.2 921–943 data
99942 Apophis 2029-04-13 0.0989 0.0989 0.0989 19.7 310–340 data
2012 UE34 2041-04-08 0.283 0.274 0.354 23.3 46–149 data
2015 XJ351 2047-06-06 0.789 0.251 38.135 22.4 70–226 data
2007 TV18 2058-09-22 0.918 0.917 0.919 23.8 37–119 data
2005 WY55 2065-05-28 0.865 0.856 0.874 20.7 153–494 data
(308635) 2005 YU55 2075-11-08 0.592 0.499 0.752 21.9 320–400 data
(456938) 2007 YV56 2101-01-02 0.621 0.615 0.628 21.0 133–431 data
2007 UW1 2129-10-19 0.239 0.155 0.381 22.7 61–197 data
101955 Bennu 2135-09-25 0.531 0.507 0.555 20.19 472–512 data
(153201) 2000 WO107 2140-12-01 0.634 0.631 0.637 19.3 427–593 data
2009 DO111 2146-03-23 0.896 0.744 1.288 22.8 58–188 data
(85640) 1998 OX4 2148-01-22 0.771 0.770 0.771 21.1 127–411 data
2011 LT17 2156-12-16 0.998 0.955 1.215 21.6 101–327 data
(A) This list includes near-Earth approaches of less than 1 lunar distances (LD) of objects with H brighter than 24.
(B) Nominal geocentric distance from the center of Earth to the center of the object (Earth has a radius of approximately 6,400 km).
(C) Diameter: estimated, theoretical mean-diameter based on H and albedo range between 0.05 and 0.25.
(D) Reference: data source from the JPL SBDB, with AU converted into LD (1 AU≈390 LD)
(E) Color codes:   unobserved at close approach   observed during close approach   upcoming approaches
Note: All close approaches between 1900 and 2200 are listed (with H<24 at less than 1 LD). Objects not observed during the approach,
and simply estimated to have approached on this date, are colored grey. Generically estimated asteroid diameters are given in italics.

Notes

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  1. ^ Diameter estimate based on an assumed albedo of 0.15.

References

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  1. ^ a b "MPEC 2002-M14 : 2002 MN". IAU Minor Planet Center. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  2. ^ Asteroid's near-miss with Earth - 21 June 2002 - New Scientist
  3. ^ a b c "JPL Close-Approach Data: (2002 MN)". Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Earth Impact Risk Summary: 2002 MN". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b Don Yeomans (19 June 2002). "Asteroid 2002 MN: Second Closest Asteroid Approach to Earth". NASA's Near Earth Object Program Office. Archived from the original on 5 August 2002.
  6. ^ "MPEC 2024-N09 : 2002 MN". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
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Preceded by Large NEO Earth close approach
(inside the orbit of the Moon)

14 June 2002
Succeeded by