762 Pulcova
762 Pulcova and satellite as seen with adaptive optics in 2000[1]
|
|
Discovery[2] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | G. N. Neujmin |
Discovery date | September 3, 1913 |
Designations | |
1913 SQ | |
Main belt | |
Orbital characteristics[2] | |
Epoch January 4, 2010 (2455200.5) | |
Aphelion | 3.4744 AU (Q) |
Perihelion | 2.8343 AU (q) |
3.1543 AU (a) | |
Eccentricity | 0.10146 |
5.60 yr | |
287.18° (M) | |
Inclination | 13.089° |
305.79° | |
189.06° | |
Known satellites | S/2000 (762) 1[1] |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 137.08 km[2] |
Mass | 1.40×1018 kg[3] |
Mean density
|
0.90 g/cm3[3] |
Sidereal rotation period
|
5.839 hr[2] |
Albedo | 0.0458[2] |
11.93 to 14.79[4] | |
8.28[2] | |
762 Pulcova is a main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by Grigoriy N. Neujmin in 1913,[2] and is named after Pulkovo Observatory, near Saint Petersburg. Pulcova is 137 km in diameter,[2] and is a C-type asteroid, which means that it is dark in colouring with a carbonate composition.
Photometric observations of this asteroid from Leura, Australia during 2006 gave a light curve with a period of 5.8403 ± 0.0005 hours and a brightness variation of 0.20 ± 0.02 in magnitude. This result is in agreement with previous studies.[5]
Contents
Satellite
On February 22, 2000,[1] astronomers at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, discovered a small, 15-km moon (roughly a 10th the size of the primary)[6] orbiting Pulcova at a distance of 800 km.[7] Its orbital period is 4 days.[8] The satellite is about 4 magnitudes fainter than the primary.[7] It was one of the first asteroid moons to be identified.
Density
In the year 2000, Merline estimated Pulcova to have a density of 1.8 g/cm³, which would make it more dense than the trinary asteroid 45 Eugenia, and binary 90 Antiope.[7] But estimates by Marchis in 2008 suggest a density of only 0.90 g/cm³,[3] suggesting it may be a loosely packed rubble pile, not a monolithic object.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (AO image)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Magnitudes generated with JPL Horizons for the year 1950 through 2100
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (mentions both 90 Antiope and 762 Pulcova)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris