Astronomy:5380 Sprigg

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Short description: Asteroid
5380 Sprigg
Discovery [1]
Discovered byR. H. McNaught
Discovery siteSiding Spring Obs.
Discovery date7 May 1991
Designations
(5380) Sprigg
Named afterReg Sprigg
(Australian geologist)[2]
1991 JT · 1983 JN
1983 LA1
Minor planet categorymain-belt · (middle)[3]
background
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc35.92 yr (13,118 days)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}3.1229 AU
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}2.0357 AU
2.5793 AU
Eccentricity0.2108
Orbital period4.14 yr (1,513 days)
Mean anomaly102.71°
Mean motion0° 14m 16.44s / day
Inclination9.3019°
Longitude of ascending node242.31°
358.90°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions6.606±0.290 km[4][5]
12.75 km (calculated)[3]
Rotation period3.219±0.002 h[6]
Geometric albedo0.057 (assumed)[3]
0.280±0.025[4][5]
X[7] · C[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)12.9[4] · 13.03±0.32[7] · 13.2[1][3]


5380 Sprigg, provisional designation 1991 JT, is a background asteroid from the middle regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 7 May 1991, by Australian astronomer Robert McNaught at Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia.[8] It was named after Australian geologist Reg Sprigg.[2]

Orbit and classification

Sprigg is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 2.0–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 2 months (1,513 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.21 and an inclination of 9° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] A first precovery was taken at Palomar Observatory in 1980, extending the body's observation arc by 11 years prior to its official discovery observation at Siding Spring.[8]

Naming

This minor planet was named after Reg Sprigg (1919–1994), Australian exploration geologist, oceanographer, biologist, author and conservationist. In 1946, he discovered the pre-Cambrian Ediacara biota, an assemblage of some of the most ancient animal fossils known. He is also the founder of the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary which also hosts a small observatory. The naming was proposed by astronomer Duncan Steel.[2] Naming citation was prepared by the Sprigg family and published on 11 April 1998 (M.P.C. 31609).[9]

Physical characteristics

Sprigg has been classified as an X-type asteroid by Pan-STARRS photometric survey.[7]

Rotation period

A rotational lightcurve of Sprigg was obtained from photometric observations by astronomer Maurice Clark at Texas Tech University in October 2013. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 3.219 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.68 magnitude, indicating that the body has a non-spheroidal shape ({{{1}}}).[6]

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Sprigg measures 6.606 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.280,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a larger diameter of 12.75 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.2.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 5380 Sprigg (1991 JT)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2005380. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(5380) Sprigg". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (5380) Sprigg. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 460. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_5173. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "LCDB Data for (5380) Sprigg". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/generateOneAsteroidInfo.php?AstInfo=5380%7CSprigg. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 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. 
  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. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2011ApJ...741...68M. Retrieved 29 March 2017. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 Clark, Maurice (July 2014). "Asteroid Photometry from the Preston Gott Observatory". The Minor Planet Bulletin 41 (3): 178–183. ISSN 1052-8091. Bibcode2014MPBu...41..178C. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2014MPBu...41..178C. Retrieved 29 March 2017. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 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. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2015Icar..261...34V. Retrieved 29 March 2017. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 "5380 Sprigg (1991 JT)". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=5380. 
  9. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html. 

External links