List of Mercury-crossing minor planets
A Mercury crosser is an asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Mercury. The Mercury crossers proper have aphelia outside Mercury's (0.4667 AU) and perihelia inside Mercury's (0.3075 AU), whereas those listed here as outer grazers have perihelia within Mercury's aphelion but not within its perihelion. All have semi-major axes larger than Mercury's, and hence there are no inner grazers.
Mercury crossers
Mercury crossers proper have aphelia outside Mercury's (0.4667 AU) and perihelia inside Mercury's (0.3075 AU). As of 2 February 2016, there are 255 Mercury crossers known.[1] Most values have been rounded to three decimals.
Designation number |
Name | Perihelion (AU) |
Semi-major axis (AU) |
Aphelion (AU) |
Inclination (°) |
Eccentricity | Absolute magnitude (H) |
Orbit class |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 HC4 | 0.071 | 1.816 | 3.562 | 8.383 | 0.9609 | 20.7 | Apollo | Has the smallest perihelion of any known asteroid.[1] | |
2008 FF5 | 0.079 | 2.283 | 4.487 | 2.626 | 0.9653 | 23.1 | Apollo | Has the second-smallest perihelion of any known asteroid.[1] | |
2015 EV | 0.080 | 2.052 | 4.024 | 11.453 | 0.9610 | 22.5 | Apollo | Has the third-smallest perihelion of any known asteroid.[1] | |
394130 | 2006 HY51 | 0.081 | 2.600 | 5.118 | 30.515 | 0.9688 | 17.2 | Apollo | Has the smallest perihelion of any numbered asteroid.[1] |
137924 | 2000 BD19 | 0.092 | 0.876 | 1.661 | 25.689 | 0.8950 | 17.2 | Aten | Has the second-smallest perihelion of any numbered asteroid.[1] |
374158 | 2004 UL | 0.093 | 1.266 | 2.440 | 23.766 | 0.9267 | 18.8 | Apollo | Has the third-smallest perihelion of any numbered asteroid.[1] |
394932 | 2007 EP88 | 0.096 | 0.837 | 1.579 | 20.770 | 0.8858 | 18.5 | Apollo | Has the fourth-smallest perihelion of any numbered asteroid.[1] |
2011 KE | 0.100 | 2.226 | 4.352 | 5.900 | 0.9550 | 19.8 | Apollo | ||
465402 | 2008 HW1 | 0.102 | 2.582 | 5.062 | 10.589 | 0.9606 | 17.4 | Apollo | |
2015 HG | 0.105 | 2.105 | 4.105 | 17.756 | 0.9502 | 21.0 | Apollo | ||
2012 US68 | 0.106 | 2.501 | 4.897 | 25.801 | 0.9576 | 18.3 | Apollo | ||
2011 XA3 | 0.109 | 1.467 | 2.825 | 27.993 | 0.9260 | 20.5 | Apollo | ||
399457 | 2002 PD43 | 0.110 | 2.509 | 4.907 | 26.105 | 0.9560 | 19.1 | Apollo | Has the fifth-smallest perihelion of any numbered asteroid.[1] |
386454 | 2008 XM | 0.111 | 1.222 | 2.334 | 5.452 | 0.9092 | 20.0 | Apollo | |
431760 | 2008 HE | 0.113 | 2.264 | 4.415 | 9.774 | 0.9499 | 18.1 | Apollo | |
2007 EB26 | 0.116 | 0.548 | 0.980 | 8.478 | 0.7880 | 19.6 | Atira | Has the second-smallest semi-major axis of any known object in the Solar System, after Mercury. | |
276033 | 2002 AJ129 | 0.117 | 1.371 | 2.625 | 15.494 | 0.9149 | 18.7 | Apollo | |
2000 LK | 0.118 | 2.179 | 4.240 | 17.018 | 0.9459 | 18.4 | Apollo | ||
425755 | 2011 CP4 | 0.118 | 0.911 | 1.705 | 9.450 | 0.8704 | 21.2 | Aten | |
1995 CR | 0.119 | 0.907 | 1.695 | 4.065 | 0.8685 | 21.7 | Aten | ||
2007 GT3 | 0.121 | 1.994 | 3.867 | 25.432 | 0.9394 | 19.7 | Apollo | ||
2004 QX2 | 0.125 | 1.287 | 2.450 | 19.095 | 0.9029 | 21.7 | Apollo | ||
2011 BT59 | 0.130 | 2.477 | 4.823 | 3.572 | 0.9476 | 21.0 | Apollo | ||
289277 | 2004 XY60 | 0.130 | 0.640 | 1.150 | 23.764 | 0.7967 | 18.9 | Aten | |
2015 KO120 | 0.131 | 1.768 | 3.404 | 2.081 | 0.9258 | 22.0 | Apollo | ||
2007 PR10 | 0.132 | 1.233 | 2.334 | 20.995 | 0.8926 | 20.7 | Apollo | ||
2006 TC | 0.136 | 1.538 | 2.941 | 19.624 | 0.9118 | 18.8 | Apollo | ||
2013 JA36 | 0.138 | 2.671 | 5.206 | 42.535 | 0.9485 | 21.0 | Apollo | ||
2008 MG1 | 0.139 | 0.783 | 1.428 | 5.716 | 0.8227 | 19.9 | Aten | ||
2013 HK11 | 0.139 | 2.199 | 4.258 | 17.710 | 0.9368 | 20.7 | Apollo | ||
3200 | Phaethon | 0.140 | 1.271 | 2.403 | 22.210 | 0.8901 | 14.6 | Apollo | Has the smallest perihelion of any named asteroid. |
2013 YC | 0.141 | 2.495 | 4.848 | 2.837 | 0.9435 | 21.3 | Apollo | ||
2010 JG87 | 0.144 | 2.761 | 5.378 | 16.912 | 0.9477 | 19.1 | Apollo | ||
2015 KP157 | 0.148 | 1.652 | 3.155 | 22.400 | 0.9103 | 19.2 | Apollo | ||
2015 DU180 | 0.152 | 1.928 | 3.705 | 4.812 | 0.9214 | 20.8 | Apollo | ||
2012 UA34 | 0.156 | 0.786 | 1.416 | 19.815 | 0.8016 | 19.4 | Aten | ||
2005 EL70 | 0.159 | 2.659 | 5.158 | 17.214 | 0.9402 | 24.0 | Apollo | ||
155140 | 2005 UD | 0.163 | 1.275 | 2.387 | 28.678 | 0.8722 | 17.3 | Apollo | |
364136 | 2006 CJ | 0.166 | 0.677 | 1.187 | 10.243 | 0.7549 | 20.2 | Aten | |
104150 | 2000 NL10 | 0.167 | 0.914 | 1.661 | 32.525 | 0.8170 | 15.8 | Aten | |
2011 WN15 | 0.173 | 1.217 | 2.260 | 33.474 | 0.8579 | 19.6 | Apollo | ||
2013 WM | 0.175 | 2.079 | 3.983 | 4.153 | 0.9160 | 23.8 | Apollo | ||
302169 | 2001 TD45 | 0.177 | 0.798 | 1.416 | 25.398 | 0.7774 | 19.9 | Aten | |
2005 RV24 | 0.178 | 1.506 | 2.834 | 36.286 | 0.8818 | 20.6 | Apollo | ||
2008 EY68 | 0.179 | 0.745 | 1.311 | 19.794 | 0.7599 | 22.0 | Apollo | ||
141851 | 2002 PM6 | 0.180 | 1.198 | 2.216 | 19.185 | 0.8501 | 17.7 | Apollo | |
267223 | 2001 DQ8 | 0.181 | 1.841 | 3.501 | 12.880 | 0.9015 | 18.0 | Apollo | |
2015 VQ64 | 0.181 | 1.193 | 2.205 | 8.526 | 0.8481 | 21.5 | Apollo | ||
2013 AJ91 | 0.182 | 2.532 | 4.882 | 33.266 | 0.9282 | 19.3 | Apollo | ||
259221 | 2003 BA21 | 0.184 | 1.100 | 2.017 | 23.730 | 0.8332 | 19.1 | Apollo | |
2011 YX62 | 0.184 | 2.565 | 4.946 | 8.678 | 0.9282 | 23.0 | Apollo | ||
1566 | Icarus | 0.187 | 1.078 | 1.969 | 22.828 | 0.8268 | 16.9 | Apollo | First Mercury crosser discovered. |
89958 | 2002 LY45 | 0.187 | 1.642 | 3.097 | 9.968 | 0.8864 | 17.0 | Apollo | |
2009 HU58 | 0.187 | 2.066 | 3.945 | 35.768 | 0.9096 | 19.1 | Apollo | ||
5786 | Talos | 0.187 | 1.081 | 1.976 | 23.235 | 0.8268 | 17.1 | Apollo | |
2003 UW29 | 0.189 | 1.170 | 2.150 | 3.760 | 0.8384 | 20.7 | Apollo | ||
2015 RD36 | 0.190 | 2.543 | 4.896 | 0.448 | 0.9252 | 22.5 | Apollo | ||
387505 | 1998 KN3 | 0.195 | 1.542 | 2.888 | 2.301 | 0.8733 | 18.4 | Apollo | |
2007 MK6 | 0.196 | 1.081 | 1.966 | 25.130 | 0.8188 | 19.9 | Apollo | ||
2015 KJ122 | 0.196 | 0.785 | 1.375 | 5.069 | 0.7502 | 22.0 | Aten | ||
2015 DZ53 | 0.196 | 1.511 | 2.825 | 8.332 | 0.8700 | 20.8 | Apollo | ||
2010 VA12 | 0.199 | 1.269 | 2.339 | 37.364 | 0.8434 | 19.5 | Apollo | ||
1996 BT | 0.200 | 1.121 | 2.222 | 12.127 | 0.8350 | 23.0 | Apollo | ||
153201 | 2000 WO17 | 0.200 | 0.911 | 1.623 | 7.771 | 0.7806 | 19.3 | Aten | |
139289 | 2001 KR1 | 0.200 | 1.260 | 2.319 | 23.229 | 0.8412 | 17.6 | Apollo | |
66391 | 1999 KW4 | 0.200 | 0.642 | 1.084 | 38.888 | 0.6884 | 16.5 | Aten | Has a moon. |
141079 | 2001 XS30 | 0.200 | 1.165 | 2.129 | 28.527 | 0.8281 | 17.7 | Apollo | |
455426 | 2003 MT9 | 0.200 | 2.538 | 4.876 | 6.821 | 0.9211 | 18.6 | Apollo | |
2014 UV116 | 0.201 | 0.918 | 1.635 | 42.402 | 0.9181 | 23.6 | Aten | ||
143637 | 2003 LP6 | 0.203 | 1.746 | 3.289 | 43.593 | 0.8836 | 16.3 | Apollo | |
66253 | 1999 GT3 | 0.216 | 1.334 | 2.452 | 19.514 | 0.8378 | 18.2 | Apollo | |
85953 | 1999 FK21 | 0.219 | 0.739 | 1.258 | 12.602 | 0.7031 | 18.1 | Aten | |
137052 | Tjelvar | 0.238 | 1.248 | 2.258 | 14.917 | 0.8095 | 16.9 | Apollo | |
40267 | 1999 GJ4 | 0.257 | 1.339 | 2.421 | 34.533 | 0.8082 | 15.4 | Apollo | |
2013 JX28 | 0.262 | 0.6008 | 0.94 | 10.76 | 0.5641 | 20.1 | Atira | Has the third-smallest semi-major axis of any known object in the Solar System, after Mercury and 2007 EB26 | |
66063 | 1998 RO1 | 0.277 | 0.991 | 1.704 | 22.675 | 0.7200 | 18.1 | Aten | Has a moon. |
2013 ND15 | 0.281 | 0.7235 | 1.166 | 4.794 | 0.6115 | 24.1 | Aten | First Venus trojan discovered. | |
87684 | 2000 SY2 | 0.307 | 0.859 | 1.411 | 19.232 | 0.6428 | 16.0 | Aten |
Mercury grazers
All Mercury grazers have semi-major axes larger than Mercury's (0.3871 AU), and hence are outer grazers, i.e. have perihelia within Mercury's aphelion (0.4667 AU) but not within its perihelion (0.3075 AU). As of February 2016, there are 561 Mercury grazers known.[2] Values have been rounded to three decimals.
Designation number |
Name | Perihelion (AU) |
Semi-major axis (AU) |
Aphelion (AU) |
Inclination (°) |
Eccentricity | Absolute magnitude (H) | Orbit class |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16960 | 1998 QS52 | 0.313 | 2.203 | 4.093 | 17.560 | 0.8577 | 14.3 | Apollo | |
85989 | 1999 JD6 | 0.324 | 0.883 | 1.441 | 17.054 | 0.6328 | 17.1 | Aten | |
68348 | 2001 LO7 | 0.339 | 2.152 | 3.964 | 25.478 | 0.8426 | 14.2 | Apollo | |
86667 | 2000 FO10 | 0.348 | 0.859 | 1.370 | 14.286 | 0.5948 | 17.4 | Aten | |
2212 | Hephaistos | 0.358 | 2.167 | 3.975 | 11.741 | 0.8348 | 13.87 | Apollo | |
66400 | 1999 LT7 | 0.366 | 0.855 | 1.345 | 9.065 | 0.5725 | 19.3 | Aten | |
37655 | Illapa | 0.366 | 1.478 | 2.590 | 17.994 | 0.7524 | 17.9 | Apollo | |
88213 | 2001 AF2 | 0.386 | 0.954 | 1.522 | 17.812 | 0.5952 | 19.7 | Aten | |
2008 UU1 | 0.401 | 1.608 | 2.814 | 12.057 | 0.7506 | 17.6 | Apollo | ||
66146 | 1998 TU3 | 0.406 | 0.787 | 1.168 | 5.413 | 0.4839 | 14.5 | Aten | |
24443 | 2000 OG | 0.411 | 2.310 | 4.210 | 25.822 | 0.8223 | 16.3 | Apollo | |
5143 | Heracles | 0.418 | 1.834 | 3.250 | 9.033 | 0.7721 | 13.8 | Apollo | |
33342 | 1998 WT24 | 0.418 | 0.718 | 1.019 | 7.343 | 0.4180 | 17.9 | Aten | |
5660 | 1974 MA | 0.424 | 1.786 | 3.147 | 38.052 | 0.7623 | 15.4 | Apollo | |
322756 | 2001 CK32 | 0.448 | 0.725 | 1.0003 | 8.132 | 0.382 | 19.2 | Aten | Temporary horseshoe librator of Venus |
2002 VE68 | 0.427 | 0.724 | 1.021 | 9.006 | 0.4104 | 20.5 | Aten | Temporary quasi-satellite of Venus | |
2012 XE133 | 0.410 | 0.723 | 1.036 | 6.711 | 0.433 | 23.4 | Aten | Temporary horseshoe librator of Venus | |
88254 | 2001 FM129 | 0.438 | 1.182 | 1.926 | 1.524 | 0.6296 | 17.6 | Apollo | |
2101 | Adonis | 0.442 | 1.875 | 3.307 | 1.333 | 0.7641 | 18.8 | Apollo | |
3838 | Epona | 0.448 | 1.505 | 2.561 | 29.239 | 0.7020 | 15.5 | Apollo | |
87309 | 2000 QP | 0.455 | 0.847 | 1.240 | 34.743 | 0.4631 | 17.6 | Aten | |
2340 | Hathor | 0.464 | 0.844 | 1.224 | 5.856 | 0.4498 | 20.1 | Aten |
See also
- List of Venus-crossing minor planets
- List of Earth-crossing minor planets
- List of Mars-crossing minor planets
- List of Jupiter-crossing minor planets
- List of Saturn-crossing minor planets
- List of Uranus-crossing minor planets
- List of Neptune-crossing minor planets
References
External links
- Very Close Approaches (<0.01 AU) of PHAs to Mercury 1800–2200
- Upcoming Close Approaches (<0.10 AU) of Near-Earth Objects to Mercury
- Planetary Close Encounters for the next 200 years