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2020 BX12—The Last Binary Asteroid Discovered at Arecibo

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Radar observations of 2020 BX12 conducted with the S-band planetary radar system (2380 MHz, 12.6 cm) at the Arecibo Observatory on 2020 February 4 and 5 revealed that this potentially hazardous asteroid is a binary system. Spectroscopic observations with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias on 2024 February 16 indicate that 2020 BX12 is an S-complex asteroid (Bus–DeMeo taxonomy). We present the results of shape modeling and orbit fitting based on the radar observations. The system consists of a primary of a diameter ∼205 m and a ∼50 m secondary revolving around their common center of mass. This size places the system among the smallest 10% of known binary asteroid systems. The orbital period of the system is >40 hr. The semimajor axis is >375 m. This binary system, like many other binary near-Earth asteroids, features a spheroidal primary spinning near the breakup point, indicating likely formation through spin-up and fission and migration from the main belt. 2020 BX12 was the last binary asteroid discovered at Arecibo.
DOI: 10.3847/psj/adbe39
Authors: Luisa Fernanda Zambrano-Marin, Sean E. Marshall, Ellen S. Howell, Julia de León, Noemi Pinilla-Alonso, Anne K. Virkki, Jon Giorgini, Flaviane C. F. Venditti
Institutions: University of Central Florida, Universidad de Granada, University of Arizona, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Universidad de Oviedo, University of Helsinki, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,800
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California Institute of Technology, University of Central Florida, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, Universidad de Granada, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
OpenAlex ID: W4409405654
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Cites: 53
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Related to: 10