4324 Bickel

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4324 Bickel
Discovery  [1]
Discovered by L. G. Taff
Discovery site Lincoln Laboratory ETS
Discovery date24 December 1981
Designations
(4324) Bickel
Named after
 Wolf Bickel
(amateur astronomer) [2]
1981 YA1 ·1932 UD
1932 WE ·1948 SD
1948 TK2 ·1964 PE
1966 DC ·1972 NF
1973 YR3 ·1985 XX
A924 YC
main-belt  ·(middle)
Orbital characteristics   [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 92.44 yr (33,765 days)
Aphelion 3.0537 AU
Perihelion 2.0373 AU
2.5455 AU
Eccentricity 0.1996
4.06 yr (1,483 days)
320.50°
0° 14m 33.72s / day
Inclination 7.7760°
292.79°
108.71°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions11.65±0.56 km [3]
12.39 km (calculated) [4]
16 h [5]
26.5 h [6]
26.592±0.003 h [5]
0.20 (assumed) [4]
0.248±0.020 [3]
S   [4]
11.80 [3]  ·11.9 [1] [4]  ·12.37±0.29 [7]

    4324 Bickel, provisional designation 1981 YA1, is a stony asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 12 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 December 1981, by American astronomer Laurence Taff at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site in Socorro, New Mexico, United States. The asteroid was named after amateur astronomer Wolf Bickel. [2]

    Contents

    Orbit and classification

    Bickel orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.0–3.1  AU once every 4 years and 1 month (1,483 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.20 and an inclination of 8° with respect to the ecliptic. [1] It was first identified as A924 YC at Heidelberg Observatory in 1924, extending the body's observation arc by 57 years prior to its official discovery observation at Socorro. [2]

    Physical characteristics

    Bickel has been characterized as a common S-type asteroid. [4]

    Rotation period

    In September 2001, the first ever conducted photometric observation of Bickel at the Rozhen Observatory, Bulgaria, rendered a rotational lightcurve with a longer-than-average period of 26.5 hours and a brightness variation of 0.63 magnitude ( U=2 ). [6] A more refined lightcurve was obtained in October 2005, by astronomers Raymond Poncy, Laurent Bernasconi and Rui Goncalves, which gave a well-defined period of 26.592±0.003 hours with an amplitude of 0.72 magnitude ( U=3 ). [5]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to observations by NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Bickel measures 11.7 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.248, [3] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a slightly larger diameter of 12.4 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 11.9. [4]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named in honor of German amateur astronomer Wolf Bickel (born 1942) who began observing minor planets at his private Bergisch Gladbach Observatory in 1995. [2]

    At the time this minor planet was named, he had discovered more than 540 numbered minor planets. [2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 22 July 2013 ( M.P.C. 84378). [8] Bickel has become Germany's most prolific discoverer of asteroids, ahead of (professional) astronomer Freimut Börngen, the first time in 150 years, that an amateur astronomer is ranking first among the German top discoverers. [9] His total number of discoveries has since increased to more than 600. [10]

    Related Research Articles

    Wolf Bickel is a German amateur astronomer and a prolific discoverer of asteroids, observing at his private Bergisch Gladbach Observatory, Germany. He is the most successful German discoverer of minor planets.

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">9936 Al-Biruni</span> Asteroid

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    2637 Bobrovnikoff, provisional designation A919 SB, is a background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 22 September 1919, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in Heidelberg, Germany. The presumed spherical S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 4.79 hours. It is named after astronomer Nicholas Bobrovnikoff, who was the director of the Perkins Observatory in Ohio, United States.

    1543 Bourgeois, provisional designation 1941 SJ, is a stony asteroid from the central asteroid belt's background population, approximately 12 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 21 September 1941, by astronomer Eugène Delporte at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle. The asteroid was named after Belgian astronomer Paul Bourgeois.

    1307 Cimmeria, provisional designation 1930 UF, is a stony asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 17 October 1930, by Soviet astronomer Grigory Neujmin at Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula, and later named after the Cimmerians, the ancient people of Crimea.

    1309 Hyperborea is a carbonaceous background asteroid from the outermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 57 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 11 October 1931, by Soviet astronomer Grigory Neujmin at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula, and given the provisional designation 1931 TO. The asteroid was named after Hyperborea, the northern homeland of a Greek mythical race of giants.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1682 Karel</span>

    1682 Karel, provisional designation 1949 PH, is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7.5 kilometers in diameter.

    1817 Katanga, provisional designation 1939 MB, is a stony Phocaea asteroid in from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 16 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 20 June 1939, by English-born South African astronomer Cyril Jackson at Johannesburg Observatory in South Africa. It is named for the Katanga Province.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1361 Leuschneria</span> Carbonaceous asteroid

    1361 Leuschneria, provisional designation 1935 QA, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 30 August 1935, by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte at Uccle Observatory in Belgium, and named after American astronomer Armin Otto Leuschner.

    1939 Loretta, provisional designation 1974 UC, is a carbonaceous Themistian asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 17 October 1974, by American astronomer Charles Kowal at Palomar Observatory in California, who named it after his daughter, Loretta Kowal. The discovery of the asteroid took place during Kowal's follow-up observations of Jupiter's moon Leda, which he had discovered one month prior.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1431 Luanda</span>

    1431 Luanda, provisional designation 1937 OB, is a stony Eunomian asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 14 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 29 July 1937, by South African astronomer Cyril Jackson at the Union Observatory in Johannesburg. The asteroid was named after the city of Luanda.

    1739 Meyermann, provisional designation 1939 PF, is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7.5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg Observatory on 15 August 1939. It was later named in memory of astronomer Bruno Meyermann.

    14968 Kubáček, provisional designation 1997 QG, is a stony background asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered on 23 August 1997, by Slovak astronomers Adrián Galád and Alexander Pravda at Modra Observatory, Slovakia. It was named for Slovak astronomer Dalibor Kubáček.

    6181 Bobweber, provisional designation 1986 RW, is a stony asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 6 September 1986, by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at the U.S. Palomar Observatory in California, and named after astronomer Robert Weber.

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    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4324 Bickel (1981 YA1)" (2017-06-02 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 20 June 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 4 5 "4324 Bickel (1981 YA1)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
    3. 1 2 3 4 Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv: 1209.5794 . Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8 . Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "LCDB Data for (4324) Bickel". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    5. 1 2 3 Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (4324) Bickel". Geneva Observatory . Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    6. 1 2 Ivanova, V. G.; Apostolovska, G.; Borisov, G. B.; Bilkina, B. I. (November 2002). "Results from photometric studies of asteroids at Rozhen National Observatory, Bulgaria". In: Proceedings of Asteroids: 505–508. Bibcode:2002ESASP.500..505I . Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    7. ↑ 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. arXiv: 1506.00762 . Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007 . Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    8. ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
    9. ↑ "Bickel überholt Börngen – die erfolgreichsten deutschen Kleinplanetenentdecker" [Bickel overtakes Börgen – Most prolific German discoverers of minor planets](PDF). VdS-Journal – Vereinigung der Sternfreunde. April 2013. pp. 80–83. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
    10. ↑ "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
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