Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | A. Nakamura |
Discovery site | Kuma Kogen Obs. |
Discovery date | 5 December 1994 |
Designations | |
(6255) Kuma | |
Named after | Kuma, Ehime (Japanese town) [2] |
1994 XT ·1975 VJ8 1981 DV3 ·1986 EB2 1988 SU4 ·1989 WP3 1992 OL1 | |
main-belt ·(middle) | |
Orbital characteristics [1] | |
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 41.37 yr (15,110 days) |
Aphelion | 2.8302 AU |
Perihelion | 2.6527 AU |
2.7414 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.0324 |
4.54 yr (1,658 days) | |
37.407° | |
0° 13m 1.56s / day | |
Inclination | 5.1205° |
275.38° | |
193.11° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 15.53±3.67 km [3] 15.74±5.52 km [4] 16.955±0.135 km [5] [6] 17.86±0.52 km [7] 21.50±9.05 km [8] 22.67 km (derived) [9] 22.72±1.7 km (IRAS:3) [10] |
9.70±0.01 h [11] [lower-alpha 1] | |
0.0238 (derived) [9] 0.029±0.029 [8] 0.0342±0.006(IRAS:3) [10] 0.04±0.03 [4] 0.058±0.004 [7] 0.060±0.001 [3] [5] [6] | |
C [9] | |
12.5 [5] [7] [10] ·12.80 [3] [8] ·12.9 [1] [9] ·13.09 [4] | |
6255 Kuma, provisional designation 1994 XT, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 December 1994, by Japanese astronomer Akimasa Nakamura at Kuma Kogen Astronomical Observatory on the Island of Shikoku, Japan. [12] It was named after the Japanese town of Kumakōgen. [2]
Kuma is a dark asteroid that orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.7–2.8 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,658 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.03 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic. [1] The first precovery was taken at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1975, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 19 years prior to its discovery. [12]
Kuma is an assumed carbonaceous C-type asteroid. [9]
In September 2006, a rotational lightcurve of Kuma was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner at the Palmer Divide Observatory ( 716 ) in Colorado. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 9.70 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.15 magnitude ( U=2 ). [11] [lower-alpha 1]
According to the space-based surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its NEOWISE mission, Kuma measures between 15.53 and 22.72 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has a low albedo in the range of 0.029 to 0.06. [3] [4] [5] [7] [8] [10]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an even lower albedo of 0.02 and a diameter of 22.7 kilometers using an absolute magnitude of 12.9. [9]
This minor planet was named after the Japanese rural town Kuma (now Kumakōgen, Ehime), home of the discovering observatory that was built in 1992 for astronomical education and tourism. Kuma is located on the Japanese island of Shikoku, after which the minor planet 4223 Shikoku is named. The town supports local cultural activities and is a significant destination for pilgrims. [2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 May 1995 ( M.P.C. 25231). [13]
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.
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.
1039 Sonneberga, provisional designation 1924 TL, is a dark background asteroid, approximately 34 kilometers in diameter, located in the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 24 November 1924, by German astronomer Max Wolf at Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany. The asteroid was named for the German city of Sonneberg, where the Sonneberg Observatory is located.
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.
1159 Granada, provisional designation 1929 RD, is a dark background asteroid and relatively slow rotator from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 2 September 1929, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany. The asteroid was named for the Spanish city and province of Granada.
6349 Acapulco, provisional designation 1995 CN1, is a dark Adeonian asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter.
11277 Ballard (provisional designation 1988 TW2) is a Phocaea asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6.3 kilometers (3.9 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 8 October 1988, by American astronomer couple Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California. The assumed S-type asteroid has a rotation period of at least 10 hours. It was named for American marine scientist Robert Ballard.
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.
2126 Gerasimovich, provisional designation 1970 QZ, is a stony background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 30 August 1970, by Soviet astronomer Tamara Smirnova at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj, on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was named after Russian astronomer Boris Gerasimovich.
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.
1303 Luthera, provisional designation 1928 FP, is a dark asteroid and the parent body of the Luthera family, located in the outermost regions of the asteroid belt. It measures approximately 90 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered on 16 March 1928, by astronomer Friedrich Schwassmann at the Bergedorf Observatory in Hamburg, Germany, and later named after German astronomer Robert Luther.
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.
1405 Sibelius, provisional designation 1936 RE, is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 12 September 1936, by Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä at Turku Observatory in Southwest Finland. The asteroid was named after composer Jean Sibelius.
1692 Subbotina, provisional designation 1936 QD, is a dark background asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 37 kilometers in diameter. The carbonaceous Cg-type asteroid has a rotation period of 9.2 hours. It was discovered by Grigory Neujmin at the Crimean Simeiz Observatory in 1936, and later named after Soviet mathematician and astronomer Mikhail Subbotin.
3823 Yorii, provisional designation 1988 EC1, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 11 kilometers in diameter.
7526 Ohtsuka, provisional designation 1993 AA, is a stony asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Japanese astronomer Takeshi Urata at Nihondaira Observatory Oohira Station, Japan, on 2 January 1993. The asteroid was named after Japanese astronomer Katsuhito Ohtsuka.
15224 Penttilä, provisional designation 1985 JG, is a dark background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 15 May 1985, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at Lowell's Anderson Mesa Station in Arizona, United States. The likely elongated asteroid has a rotation period of 4.4 hours. It was named after planetary scientist Antti Penttilä at the University of Helsinki.