The two images above were taken ten minutes apart, each
exposure
lasting one minute, imaged by the Principia Telescope and SBIG ST-9E CCD
Camera.
This minor planet was first observed by astronomers in New Mexico about a
week earlier. Based upon its distance (about
0.1AU) and its brightness (mag ~15) then, its diameter is estimated to be
500 to 1000m. It is a member of the group known as Near Earth Objects (NEO's), since it
has orbital period of nine months, crosses Earth's orbit, and has
perihelion nearer to Sun than Venus.
