1915 Quetzálcoatl
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | A. G. Wilson |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 9 March 1953 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 1915 Quetzálcoatl |
|
Named after
|
Quetzalcoatl (Mesoamerican deity)[2] |
| 1953 EA | |
| NEO · Amor · Alinda | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 51.59 yr (18842 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.9969 AU (597.93 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 1.0929 AU (163.50 Gm) |
| 2.5449 AU (380.71 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.57055 |
| 4.06 yr (1482.9 d) | |
| 226.85° | |
| Inclination | 20.404° |
| 162.96° | |
| 347.86° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.108757 AU (16.2698 Gm) |
| Jupiter MOID | 1.06559 AU (159.410 Gm) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 0.5 km[1] 0.40 km[3][4] |
|
Mean radius
|
0.25 km |
| 4.9 h (0.20 d)[1][5] | |
| 0.21[1] 0.31[3] |
|
| B–V = 0.784 U–B = 0.430 Tholen = SMU [1] S [4] |
|
| 18.97[1] | |
1915 Quetzálcoatl, provisional designation 1953 EA, is a very eccentric, stony asteroid classified as near-Earth object, about half a kilometer in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Albert George Wilson at Palomar Observatory, California on March 9, 1953.[6]
The asteroid is an Amor asteroid – a subgroup of near-Earth asteroids that approach the orbit of Earth from beyond, but do not cross it – and a member of the Alinda family of highly eccentric asteroids. Its Earth Minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) is 0.11 AU and on February 24, 2062, it will make a close approach and pass by Earth at a distance of 0.1339 AU (20,030,000 km; 12,450,000 mi).[1]
Classified as a SMU-subtype in the Tholen taxonomy, the S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.1–4.0 AU once every 4 years and 1 month (1,483 days). Its orbit is highly eccentric (0.57) and notably tilted by 20 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. It has a rotation period of 4.9 hours[5] and an albedo of 0.21–0.31.[3] In 1981, this object was observed with radar from the Arecibo Observatory at a distance of 0.09 AU. The measured radar cross-section was 0.02 km2.[7]
It is named after the "feathered serpent" Quetzalcoatl, the Mesoamerican deity of wisdom and culture who brought learning to the Toltec people.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 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.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info)
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
- 1915 Quetzálcoatl at the JPL Small-Body Database
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