Astronomy:1851 Lacroute

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1851 Lacroute
Discovery[1]
Discovered byL. Boyer
Discovery siteAlgiers Obs.
Discovery date9 November 1950
Designations
(1851) Lacroute
Named afterPierre Lacroute
(French astronomer)[2]
1950 VA
Minor planet categorymain-belt · (inner)
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc66.35 yr (24,236 days)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}3.7003 AU
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}2.5044 AU
3.1024 AU
Eccentricity0.1927
Orbital period5.46 yr (1,996 days)
Mean anomaly85.690°
Mean motion0° 10m 49.44s / day
Inclination1.6660°
Longitude of ascending node24.766°
343.20°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions16.89 km (IRAS)[3]
18.158±0.108 km[4]
Geometric albedo0.049±0.007[4]
0.0745±0.009 (IRAS)[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)12.7[1]


1851 Lacroute, provisional designation 1950 VA, is an asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 17 kilometers in diameter.

It was discovered on 9 November 1950, by French astronomer Louis Boyer at the Algiers Observatory in the capital of Algeria, Northern Africa, and named after French astronomer Pierre Lacroute.[2][5]

Orbit and classification

Lacroute orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.5–3.7 AU once every 5 years and 6 months (1,996 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.19 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] As no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made, the body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation in 1950.[5]

Physical characteristics

According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Lacroute measures 16.9 and 18.2 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.049 and 0.074, respectively.[3][4] As of 2016, the body's spectral type, as well as its rotation period and shape remain unknown.[1][6]

Naming

This minor planet was named in honor of French astronomer Pierre Lacroute (1906–1993), a known astrometrist, president of IAU's Commission 24 in the 1970s, and director of the Observatory of Strasbourg, instrumental in the establishment of the Stellar Data Center (also see SIMBAD).[2]

Lacroute also made an independent reduction of the astrometric star catalogue AGK3, using a technique involving overlapping photographic plates.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 August 1978 (M.P.C. 4419).[7]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1851 Lacroute (1950 VA)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2001851. Retrieved 8 June 2017. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1851) Lacroute". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1851) Lacroute. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 148. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1852. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Tedesco, E. F.; Noah, P. V.; Noah, M.; Price, S. D. (October 2004). "IRAS Minor Planet Survey V6.0". NASA Planetary Data System – IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0. Bibcode2004PDSS...12.....T. https://sbnarchive.psi.edu/pds3/iras/IRAS_A_FPA_3_RDR_IMPS_V6_0/data/diamalb.tab. Retrieved 17 October 2019. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C. et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters 759 (1): 5. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8. Bibcode2012ApJ...759L...8M. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2012ApJ...759L...8M. Retrieved 6 December 2016. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "1851 Lacroute (1950 VA)". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=1851. Retrieved 13 December 2016. 
  6. "LCDB Data for (1851) Lacroute". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/generateOneAsteroidInfo.php?AstInfo=1851%7CLacroute. Retrieved 8 June 2017. 
  7. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2009). "Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4. ISBN 978-3-642-01964-7. https://archive.org/details/dictionaryminorp2008schm. 

External links