2940 Bacon

Last updated

2940 Bacon
Discovery  [1]
Discovered by C. J. van Houten
I. van Houten-G.
Tom Gehrels
Discovery site Palomar Obs.
Discovery date24 September 1960
Designations
(2940) Bacon
Named after
 Francis Bacon
(English scholar) [2]
3042 P-L ·1981 ER3
main-belt  ·(middle)
Dora  [3]
Orbital characteristics   [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 56.46 yr (20,621 days)
Aphelion 3.4366 AU
Perihelion 2.1278 AU
2.7822 AU
Eccentricity 0.2352
4.64 yr (1,695 days)
77.051°
Inclination 6.4417°
273.76°
116.75°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions8.953±0.240 km [4]
0.055±0.005 [4]
14.3 [1]

    Bacon (minor planet designation: 2940 Bacon), provisional designation 3042 P-L, is a carbonaceous Dorian asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 9 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 September 1960, by Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. [5] It was later named after English philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon. [2]

    Contents

    Orbit and classification

    Bacon is a member of the Dora family (FIN: 512), a well-established central asteroid family of more than 1,200 carbonaceous asteroids. The family's namesake is 668 Dora. It is alternatively known as the "Zhongolovich family", named after its presumably largest member 1734 Zhongolovich. The Dora family may also contain a subfamily. [3] [6] : 13, 23 

    It orbits the Sun in the middle main-belt at a distance of 2.1–3.4  AU once every 4 years and 8 months (1,695 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.24 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic. [1] The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Palomar, as no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made. [5]

    Palomar–Leiden survey

    The survey designation "P-L" stands for Palomar–Leiden, named after Palomar Observatory and Leiden Observatory, which collaborated on the fruitful Palomar–Leiden survey in the 1960s. Gehrels used Palomar's Samuel Oschin telescope (also known as the 48-inch Schmidt Telescope), and shipped the photographic plates to Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden Observatory where astrometry was carried out. The trio are credited with the discovery of several thousand asteroids. [7]

    Physical characteristics

    According to the surveys carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Bacon measures 8.953 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.055, [4] which is typical for carbonaceous C-type asteroids. It has an absolute magnitude of 14.3. [1]

    As of 2017, Bacon's rotation period and shape, as well as its spectral type remains unknown. [1] [8]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named in honour of English philosopher, statesman, scientist, jurist, orator, and author Sir Francis Bacon (1561–1626). He has been called the father of empiricism and his works established and popularized the scientific method. According to the Baconian theory, he wrote the plays attributed to William Shakespeare. [2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 29 September 1985 ( M.P.C. 10044). [9]

    Related Research Articles

    2934 Aristophanes, provisional designation 4006 P-L, is a carbonaceous Veritasian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered during the Palomar–Leiden survey in 1960, and later named after ancient Greek dramatist Aristophanes.

    2807 Karl Marx, provisional designation 1969 TH6, is a carbonaceous Dorian asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 17 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 15 October 1969, by Russian astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was later named for the German philosopher Karl Marx.

    2436 Hatshepsut, provisional designation 6066 P-L, is a Hygiean asteroid from the outer asteroid belt, approximately 19 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Cornelis van Houten, Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory on 24 September 1960. It was named for pharaoh Hatshepsut.

    10979 Fristephenson, provisional designation 4171 T-2, is a carbonaceous Sulamitis asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered during the Palomar–Leiden Trojan survey on 29 September 1973, by Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. The dark C-type asteroid was named for British historian of astronomy Francis Richard Stephenson.

    4354 Euclides, provisional designation 2142 P-L, is a dark Dorian asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 12 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 September 1960, by Dutch astronomer couple Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten on photographic plates taken by Dutch–American astronomer Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California. The likely C-type asteroid was named after the Greek mathematician Euclid.

    10252 Heidigraf, provisional designation 4164 T-1, is a Koronian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered during the Palomar–Leiden Trojan survey on 26 March 1971, by Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. The likely elongated S-type asteroid has a brightness variation of 0.56 magnitude. It was named after Heidi Graf, a former Head of the ESTEC Communications Office.

    8967 Calandra, provisional designation 4878 T-1, is a carbonaceous background asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 9 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 13 May 1971, by Dutch astronomer couple Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden Observatory, on photographic plates taken by Dutch–American astronomer Tom Gehrels at the Palomar Observatory in California. It is named after the corn bunting (Emberiza calandra).

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">9912 Donizetti</span> Asteroid

    9912 Donizetti, provisional designation 2078 T-3, is a stony Rafita asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 km in diameter. It was discovered during the third Palomar–Leiden Trojan survey in 1977, and named after Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti.

    3563 Canterbury, provisional designation 1985 FE, is a dark Dorian asteroid from the middle regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 16 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 23 March 1985, by astronomer couple Alan Gilmore and Pamela Kilmartin at Mount John University Observatory near Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. The asteroid was named after New Zealand's Canterbury Province.

    6805 Abstracta, provisional designation 4600 P-L, is a carbonaceous Themistian asteroid and slow rotator from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">10656 Albrecht</span>

    10656 Albrecht is a carbonaceous background asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was named after German astronomer Carl Theodor Albrecht.

    8318 Averroes is a dark Themistian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 29 September 1973, by Dutch astronomers Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels the Palomar Observatory, and assigned the provisional designation 1306 T-2. The likely C-type asteroid was named after medieval Muslim astronomer Averroës.

    1846 Bengt, provisional designation 6553 P-L, is a dark asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 11 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by the Palomar–Leiden survey in 1960, it was named for Danish astronomer Bengt Strömgren.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">5196 Bustelli</span>

    5196 Bustelli is a stony Eunomia asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6 kilometers kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 30 September 1973, by Dutch astronomers Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels the Palomar Observatory. The S-type asteroid was named after Italian-Swiss artist Franz Anton Bustelli.

    2003 Harding, provisional designation 6559 P-L, is a carbonaceous Eoan asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 18 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered during the Palomar–Leiden survey on 24 September 1960, by astronomers Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar, California. The asteroid was later named after astronomer Karl Ludwig Harding.

    10245 Inselsberg, provisional designation 6071 P-L, is a Gefion asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 September 1960, by Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. The likely S-type asteroid was named for the German mountain Großer Inselsberg.

    7687 Matthias, provisional designation 2099 P-L, is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 4 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 September 1960, by Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California. The S-type asteroid was named for German amateur astronomer Matthias Busch.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">6257 Thorvaldsen</span>

    6257 Thorvaldsen, provisional designation 4098 T-1, is a bright Vestian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 4.3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered during the Palomar–Leiden Trojan survey on 26 March 1971, by Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California. The asteroid was named for Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.

    1734 Zhongolovich, provisional designation 1928 TJ, is a carbonaceous Dorian asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 28 kilometers in diameter.

    10244 Thüringer Wald, provisional designation 4668 P-L, is a Vestian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 26 September 1960, by Ingrid and Cornelis van Houten at Leiden, and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. The asteroid was named after the Thuringian Forest, a German mountain range.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2940 Bacon (3042 P-L)" (2017-03-10 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(2940) Bacon". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 242. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2941. ISBN   978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. 1 2 Broz, M.; Morbidelli, A.; Bottke, W. F.; Rozehnal, J.; Vokrouhlický, D.; Nesvorný, D. (March 2013). "Constraining the cometary flux through the asteroid belt during the late heavy bombardment". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 551: 16. arXiv: 1301.6221 . Bibcode:2013A&A...551A.117B. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219296.
    4. 1 2 3 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. arXiv: 1109.4096 . Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68 . Retrieved 5 April 2017.
    5. 1 2 "2940 Bacon (3042 P-L)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
    6. ↑ Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv: 1502.01628 . Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN   978-0-8165-3213-1.
    7. ↑ "Minor Planet Discoverers". Minor Planet Center. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
    8. ↑ "LCDB Data for (2940) Bacon". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 5 April 2017.
    9. ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
    This page is based on this Wikipedia article
    Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
    Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.