Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | C. Shoemaker |
Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
Discovery date | 13 January 1983 |
Designations | |
(2906) Caltech | |
Named after | Caltech (owner of Palomar Obs.) [2] |
1983 AE2 ·1957 KJ 1957 MA ·1974 LC 1976 YS2 ·1983 CD | |
main-belt ·(outer) [3] | |
Orbital characteristics [1] | |
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 60.01 yr (21,920 days) |
Aphelion | 3.5070 AU |
Perihelion | 2.8262 AU |
3.1666 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.1075 |
5.64 yr (2,058 days) | |
144.97° | |
0° 10m 29.64s / day | |
Inclination | 30.646° |
84.493° | |
295.36° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 50.83±15.31 km [4] 52.49±13.11 km [5] 57.88 km (derived) [3] 57.98±2.3 km [6] 58.678±0.659 km [7] 61.07±0.72 km [8] |
12.99±0.05 h [9] 12.9937±0.0005 h [9] 12.999±0.0169 h [10] | |
0.0438 (derived) [3] 0.048±0.001 [8] 0.051±0.012 [7] 0.0526±0.004 [6] 0.06±0.04 [5] | |
SMASS = Xc · C [3] | |
9.96±0.59 [11] ·10.0 [6] [7] [8] ·10.035±0.002(R) [10] ·10.10 [4] ·10.2 [1] [3] ·10.33 [5] | |
2906 Caltech, provisional designation 1983 AE2, is an asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 56 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 13 January 1983 by American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory in the United States. [12] It is named after the California Institute of Technology. [2]
Caltech orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.8–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 8 months (2,058 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 31° with respect to the ecliptic. [1] It was first identified as 1957 KJ at Goethe Link Observatory in 1957, extending the body's observation arc by 26 years prior to its official discovery at Palomar. [12]
In the SMASS taxonomy, Caltech is a Xc-type asteroid, which transitions between the core X and carbonaceous C types. [1]
Between 2006 and 2012, a total of 3 rotational lightcurves of Caltech were obtained from photometric observations by Italian amateur astronomers Silvano Casulli and Federico Manzini as well as at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a concurring rotation period of 12.99 hours with a brightness variation between 0.16 and 0.27 magnitude ( U=2-/2/2 ). [9] [10]
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Caltech measures between 50.83 and 61.07 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo between 0.048 and 0.06. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.0438 and a diameter of 57.88 kilometers using an absolute magnitude of 12.2. [3]
This minor planet is named after the California Institute of Technology, Caltech, which is the owner and operator of the discovering Palomar Observatory. The discovery was made with the 0.46-m Schmidt telescope, the first telescope installed on Palomar. [2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 22 September 1983 ( M.P.C. 8154). [13]
Stephania is a dark background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 32 km (20 mi) in diameter. It was discovered on 19 May 1881, by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at the Vienna Observatory. The C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 18.2 hours. It was named after Princess Stéphanie of Belgium.
4349 Tibúrcio, provisional designation 1989 LX, is a dark asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 29 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 June 1989, by German astronomer Werner Landgraf at ESO's La Silla Observatory in northern Chile.
1743 Schmidt, provisional designation 4109 P-L, is a dark background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 19 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered during the Palomar–Leiden survey on 24 September 1960, by astronomers Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, on photographic plates taken by Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California. The C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 17.5 hours. It was named for the optician Bernhard Schmidt.
1766 Slipher, provisional designation 1962 RF, is a Paduan asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 18 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 7 September 1962, by astronomers of the Indiana Asteroid Program at Goethe Link Observatory in Indiana, United States. The asteroid was named after American astronomers Vesto Slipher and his brother Earl C. Slipher.
Pawlowia, provisional designation 1923 OX, is a background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 20 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 October 1923, by Soviet astronomer Vladimir Albitsky at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was named after Russian physiologist and Nobelist Ivan Pavlov.
1027 Aesculapia, provisional designation A923 YO11, is a Themistian asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 33 kilometers in diameter.
1096 Reunerta, provisional designation 1928 OB, is an asteroid from the background population of the asteroid belt's central region, approximately 40 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 21 July 1928, by astronomer Harry Edwin Wood at the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa. The asteroid was named after South African engineer Theodore Reunert, supporter of the observatory and friend of the discoverer.
1118 Hanskya is a large background asteroid, approximately 77 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt. Discovered by Sergey Belyavsky and Nikolaj Ivanov in 1927, it was named after Russian astronomer Aleksey Hansky. The presumed dark C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 15.6 hours.
6349 Acapulco, provisional designation 1995 CN1, is a dark Adeonian asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter.
3247 Di Martino is a dark Nysa family asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 30 December 1981, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at Lowell's Anderson Mesa Station near Flagstaff, Arizona, in the United States. The asteroid has a rotation period of 5.4 hours and measures approximately 13 kilometers in diameter. It was named for Italian astronomer Mario di Martino.
4282 Endate, provisional designation 1987 UQ1, is an asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 28 October 1987, by Japanese astronomers Seiji Ueda and Hiroshi Kaneda at Kushiro Observatory (399) in Japan. It was named for amateur astronomer Kin Endate.
9298 Geake, provisional designation 1985 JM, is a Mitidika asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 12 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 15 May 1985, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at Lowell Observatory's Anderson Mesa Station near Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. The asteroid was named for British astronomer John E. Geake.
1267 Geertruida, provisional designation 1930 HD, is a carbonaceous background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 20 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by astronomer Hendrik van Gent at Johannesburg Observatory in 1930, the asteroid was later named after Geertruid Pels, sister of Dutch astronomer Gerrit Pels.
2324 Janice, provisional designation 1978 VS4, is a dark background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 25 kilometers (16 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 7 November 1978, by American astronomers Eleanor Helin and Schelte Bus at the Palomar Observatory in California. The asteroid was named for Janice Cline at Caltech. The presumably C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 23.2 hours.
4944 Kozlovskij, provisional designation 1987 RP3, is a carbonaceous Witt asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 2 September 1987, by Soviet astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, on the Crimean Peninsula. The asteroid was named for Russian opera singer Ivan Kozlovsky.
2043 Ortutay, provisional designation 1936 TH, is a dark asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 45 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered by Hungarian astronomer György Kulin at the Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, on 12 November 1936. It was named after Hungarian ethnographer Gyula Ortutay.
2629 Rudra, provisional designation 1980 RB1, is a sizable Mars-crossing asteroid and slow rotator inside the asteroid belt, approximately 5.3 kilometers (3.3 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 13 September 1980, by American astronomer Charles Kowal at the Palomar Observatory in California. The dark B-type asteroid has a long rotation period 123 hours and likely an elongated shape. It was named after Rudra from Hindu mythology.
1258 Sicilia, provisional designation 1932 PG, is a dark background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 44 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 8 August 1932, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany. The asteroid was named after the Italian island of Sicily.
2169 Taiwan, provisional designation 1964 VP1, is a carbonaceous Astridian asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 17 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 9 November 1964, by astronomers at the Purple Mountain Observatory near Nanking, China. It was named for Taiwan.
1625 The NORC is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 55 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 September 1953, by Belgian astronomer Sylvain Arend at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle, Belgium. It was named after the IBM Naval Ordnance Research Calculator (NORC).