4954 Eric

Last updated

4954 Eric
004954-asteroid shape model (4954) Eric.png
Shape model of Eric from its lightcurve
Discovery [1]
Discovered by Brian P. Roman
Discovery site Palomar Obs.
Discovery date23 September 1990
Designations
(4954) Eric
1990 SQ
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 14681 days (40.19 yr)
Aphelion 2.8993  AU (433.73  Gm)
Perihelion 1.10393 AU (165.146 Gm)
2.0016 AU (299.44 Gm)
Eccentricity 0.44848
2.83 yr (1034.4 d)
314.18°
0° 20m 52.944s / day
Inclination 17.4461°
358.52°
52.429°
Earth  MOID 0.194843 AU (29.1481 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 10.8 km
5.4 km
12.052 [3] hours
S (SMASSII)
12.6

    4954 Eric (prov. designation: 1990 SQ) is an eccentric, stony asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Amor group, approximately 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Brian Roman at Palomar Observatory on 23 September 1990. [4] The asteroid was named after its discoverer's son, Eric Roman.

    Orbit diagram of 4954 Eric with location of object on 18 June 2013 Eric June 18 2013.gif
    Orbit diagram of 4954 Eric with location of object on 18 June 2013


    It is the largest near-Earth asteroid discovered since 3552 Don Quixote in 1983. [2] On 2007 October 11 the asteroid passed 0.2865 AU (42,860,000 km; 26,630,000 mi) from Earth. [4] It currently makes closer approaches to Mars than it does Earth. The asteroid has a rotation period of 12.05 hours. [3]

    Other large near-Earth asteroids include 1036 Ganymed (32 km), 3552 Don Quixote (19 km), 433 Eros (17 km), and 1866 Sisyphus (8.5 km). [2] [5]

    Eric as it moves over 2 hours on October 31, 2024. Recorded by an amateur telescope in California. Asteroid 4954 Eric.gif
    Eric as it moves over 2 hours on October 31, 2024. Recorded by an amateur telescope in California.


    References

    1. ↑ "(4954) Eric = 1990 SQ". Minor Planet Center . Retrieved 4 June 2015.
    2. 1 2 3 "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: asteroids and NEOs and H < 13 (mag)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
    3. 1 2 Hanus, J.; Durech, J.; Broz, M.; Marciniak, A.; Warner, B. D.; Pilcher, F.; et al. (March 2013). "Asteroids' physical models from combined dense and sparse photometry and scaling of the YORP effect by the observed obliquity distribution". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 551: 16. arXiv: 1301.6943 . Bibcode:2013A&A...551A..67H. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220701. S2CID   118627434.
    4. 1 2 "JPL Close-Approach Data: 4954 Eric (1990 SQ)" (2012-09-04 last obs). Retrieved 30 October 2013.
    5. ↑ Philip A. Bland; Elaine A. Moore; Ian Wright; Mike Widdowson (2004). An Introduction to the Solar System. Cambridge University Press. p. 394. ISBN   978-0-521-54620-1.


    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.