Astronomy:4659 Roddenberry

From HandWiki
4659 Roddenberry
Discovery [1]
Discovered byS. J. Bus
Discovery siteSiding Spring Obs.
Discovery date2 March 1981
Designations
(4659) Roddenberry
Named afterGene Roddenberry[1]
(American screenwriter)
1981 EP20 · 1979 SY7
1979 TO1
Minor planet categorymain-belt [1][2] · (inner)
Nysa[3][4]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc41.19 yr (15,044 d)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}2.9019 AU
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}1.8408 AU
2.3714 AU
Eccentricity0.2237
Orbital period3.65 yr (1,334 d)
Mean anomaly188.19°
Mean motion0° 16m 11.64s / day
Inclination2.4668°
Longitude of ascending node19.633°
5.1337°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter3.56 km (derived)[3]
3.622±0.601 km[5][6]
Rotation period12 h (poor)[7]
Geometric albedo0.193±0.065[5][6]
0.20 (assumed)[3]
S (assumed)[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)14.4[2]
14.61[3][6][7]
14.78±0.28[8]


4659 Roddenberry, provisional designation 1981 EP20, is a Nysian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 2 March 1981, by American astronomer Schelte Bus at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia.[1] The likely S-type asteroid has an unsecured rotation period of 12 hours.[3] It was named for American screenwriter Gene Roddenberry.[1]

Orbit and classification

Roddenberry is a core member of the Nysa family (405),[3][4] a very large family of stony asteroids, alternatively known as Herta family. It is part of the Nysa–Polana complex, the largest grouping of asteroids in the main-belt. The complex is typically further divided into subfamilies with different spectral properties.[9]:23

The asteroid orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 1.8–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 8 months (1,334 days; semi-major axis of 2.37 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken at Palomar Observatory in February 1977, or four years prior to its official discovery observation at Siding Spring.[1]

Physical characteristics

Roddenberry is an assumed stony S-type asteroid, typical for core members of the Nysa family and in agreement with its high albedo (see below).[3]

Rotation period

In the 1990s, a fragmentary rotational lightcurve of Roddenberry was obtained from photometric observations by Richard Binzel. Lightcurve analysis gave a highly uncertain rotation period of 12 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.14 magnitude ({{{1}}}). As of 2018, no secure period has been obtained.[3][7]

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Roddenberry measures 3.622 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.193,[5][6] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20, and derives a diameter of 3.56 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 14.61.[3]

Naming

This minor planet was named in memory of famous American screenwriter, producer and futurist, Gene Roddenberry (1921–1991), known for the Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation television series, and for the Star Trek film franchise.[1] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 18 February 1992 (M.P.C. 19698).[10]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "4659 Roddenberry (1981 EP20)". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=4659. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4659 Roddenberry (1981 EP20)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2004659. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 "LCDB Data for (4659) Roddenberry". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/generateOneAsteroidInfo.php?AstInfo=4659%7CRoddenberry. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Asteroid 4659 Roddenberry". Small Bodies Data Ferret. https://sbntools.psi.edu/ferret/SimpleSearch/results.action?targetName=4659+Roddenberry. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J. et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal 741 (2): 20. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Bibcode2011ApJ...741...68M. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D. et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal 741 (2): 25. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. Bibcode2011ApJ...741...90M.  (catalog)
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Binzel, Richard P.; Xu, Shui; Bus, Schelte J.; Bowell, Edward (September 1992). "Small Main-Belt Asteroid Lightcurve Survey". Icarus 99 (1): 225–237. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(92)90184-9. ISSN 0019-1035. Bibcode1992Icar...99..225B. 
  8. Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus 261: 34–47. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Bibcode2015Icar..261...34V. 
  9. Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 9780816532131. Bibcode2015aste.book..297N. 
  10. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html. 

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