Astronomy:38 Leda

From HandWiki
Short description: Main-belt asteroid
38 Leda
38Leda (Lightcurve Inversion).png
A three-dimensional model of 38 Leda based on its light curve
Discovery
Discovered byJ. Chacornac
Discovery dateJanuary 12, 1856
Designations
Designation
(38) Leda
Pronunciation/ˈldə/[1]
Named afterLeda
A904 SF; 1949 QO2
Minor planet categoryMain belt
AdjectivesLedean /lɪˈdən/ (Latin Lēdæ-us)
Orbital characteristics
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}472.587 Gm (3.159 AU)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}348.232 Gm (2.328 AU)
410.409 Gm (2.743 AU)
Eccentricity0.152
Orbital period1659.725 d (4.54 a)
Average Orbital speed17.88 km/s
Mean anomaly107.567°
Inclination6.955°
Longitude of ascending node295.890°
168.804°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions115.41 ± 1.33 km[2]
Mass(5.71 ± 5.47) × 1018 kg[2]
Mean density7.09 ± 6.79 g/cm3[2]
0.0324 m/s²
0.0613 km/s
Rotation period0.5350 d (12.84 h) [3]
Albedo0.0618 [3]
Physics~170 K
Spectral type
C[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)8.32


Leda (minor planet designation: 38 Leda) is a large, dark main-belt asteroid that was discovered by French astronomer J. Chacornac on January 12, 1856, and named after Leda, the mother of Helen of Troy in Greek mythology. In the Tholen classification system, it is categorized as a carbonaceous C-type asteroid, while the Bus asteroid taxonomy system lists it as a Cgh asteroid.[4] The spectra of the asteroid displays evidence of aqueous alteration.[5]

Leda has been studied by radar.[6] During 2002, 38 Leda was observed by radar from the Arecibo Observatory. The return signal matched an effective diameter of 116 ± 13 km. This is consistent with the asteroid dimensions computed through other means.[7] Based upon a light curve that was generated from photometric observations of this asteroid at Pulkovo Observatory, it has a rotation period of 12.834 ± 0.001 hours and varies in brightness by 0.15 ± 0.01 in magnitude.[8]

References

  1. Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Carry, B. (December 2012), "Density of asteroids", Planetary and Space Science 73 (1): 98–118, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2012.03.009, Bibcode2012P&SS...73...98C.  See Table 1.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "38 Leda". JPL Small-Body Database. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=38. 
  4. DeMeo, Francesca E. et al. (2011), "An extension of the Bus asteroid taxonomy into the near-infrared", Icarus 202 (1): 160–180, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.02.005, Bibcode2009Icar..202..160D, archived from the original on 2014-03-17, https://web.archive.org/web/20140317200310/https://www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/2262/43276/1/PEER_stage2_10.1016/j.icarus.2009.02.005.pdf, retrieved 2013-04-12.  See appendix A.
  5. Fornasier, S. et al. (February 1999), "Spectroscopic comparison of aqueous altered asteroids with CM2 carbonaceous chondrite meteorites", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement 135: 65−73, doi:10.1051/aas:1999161, Bibcode1999A&AS..135...65F. 
  6. "Radar-Detected Asteroids and Comets". NASA/JPL Asteroid Radar Research. http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/. 
  7. Magri, Christopher et al. (January 2007), "A radar survey of main-belt asteroids: Arecibo observations of 55 objects during 1999–2003", Icarus 186 (1): 126–151, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.08.018, Bibcode2007Icar..186..126M 
  8. Pilcher, Frederick (October 2011), "Rotation Period Determinations for 11 Parthenope, 38 Leda, 111 Ate 194 Prokne, 217 Eudora, and 224 Oceana", The Minor Planet Bulletin 38 (4): 183–185, Bibcode2011MPBu...38..183P. 

External links