201 Penelope
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A three-dimensional model of 201 Penelope based on its light curve.
|
|
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Johann Palisa |
| Discovery date | August 7, 1879 |
| Designations | |
|
Named after
|
Penelópē |
| A869 GA | |
| Main belt | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 30 January 2005 (JD 2453400.5) | |
| Aphelion | 473.219 Gm (3.163 AU) |
| Perihelion | 329.047 Gm (2.2 AU) |
| 401.133 Gm (2.681 AU) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.18 |
| 1603.743 d (4.39 a) | |
|
Average orbital speed
|
18.19 km/s |
| 215.135° | |
| Inclination | 5.761° |
| 157.17° | |
| 180.769° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 87.72[1] km |
| 3.74 h | |
| Albedo | 0.0881 ± 0.0187[1] |
|
Spectral type
|
M[1] (Tholen) |
| 8.54[1] | |
201 Penelope is a large main belt asteroid that was discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa on August 7, 1879 in Pola. The asteroid is named after Penelope, the wife of Odysseus in Homer's The Odyssey.
Based upon the spectra of this object, it is classified as a M-type asteroid, indicating it may be metallic in composition.[1] It may be the remnant of the core of a larger, differentiated asteroid. Near infrared absorption features indicate the presence of variable amounts of low-iron, low-calcium orthopyroxenes on the surface. Trace amounts of water is detected with a mass fraction of about 0.13–0.15 wt%.[2] It has an estimated size of around 88 km.[1] With a rotation period of 3.74 hours, it is the fastest rotating asteroid larger than 50 km in diameter.[3]
References
External links
- The Asteroid Orbital Elements Database
- Minor Planet Discovery Circumstances
- Asteroid Lightcurve Parameters
- Asteroid Albedo Compilation
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