3554 Amun

3554 Amun

Discovery
Discovered by	Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker
Discovery date	March 4, 1986
Designations
Named after	Amun
Alternative names	1986 EB
Minor planet category	Aten asteroid, Venus-crosser asteroid
Orbital characteristics
Epoch July 14, 2004 (JD 2453200.5)
Aphelion	186.532 Gm (1.247 AU)
Perihelion	104.807 Gm (0.701 AU)
Semi-major axis	145.669 Gm (0.974 AU)
Eccentricity	0.281
Orbital period	350.964 d (0.96 a)
Average orbital speed	29.58 km/s
Mean anomaly	196.415°
Inclination	23.363°
Longitude of ascending node	358.680°
Argument of perihelion	359.368°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	2.5 ? km
Mass	~1.6×1013kg
Mean density	2 ? g/cm³
Equatorial surface gravity	? m/s²
Escape velocity	? km/s
Rotation period	0.1054 d 1
Albedo	? 2
Temperature	~280 K
Spectral type	M-type asteroid
Absolute magnitude (H)	15.82

3554 Amun is an M-type Aten asteroid (meaning it crosses Earth's orbit) and a Venus-crosser. It was discovered on 4 March 1986 by Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at Mount Palomar Observatory. Its estimated diameter is 2.5 kilometers, making it one of the smallest known M-type asteroids.

Amun was once considered metallic, based on its M-type spectrum. However, like the asteroids 22 Kalliope and 21 Lutetia, the radar albedo of the object is inconsistent with a metallic composition. In Mining the Sky, planetary scientist John S. Lewis calculated the value of 3554 Amun at $20 trillion dollars [1].

(6178) 1986 DA is another M-type near-Earth asteroid with lower inclination that is actually metallic.

Amun passes closest to Venus, and in 1964, 2034, and 2103 comes within 10 Gm of it. [2]

External links

• Economic value of asteroid 3554 Amun

• 3554 Amun at the JPL Small-Body Database

• Discovery · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters