![]() A three-dimensional model of 94 Aurora based on its light curve. | |
Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | James Craig Watson |
Discovery date | 6 September 1867 |
Designations | |
(94) Aurora | |
Pronunciation | /əˈrɔːrə,ɒ-/ [1] |
Named after | Aurōra |
Main belt | |
Adjectives | Aurorean /ɔːˈrɔːriən/ [2] |
Orbital characteristics [3] | |
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 143.72 yr (52494 d) |
Aphelion | 3.45175 AU (516.374 Gm) |
Perihelion | 2.86831 AU (429.093 Gm) |
3.16003 AU (472.734 Gm) | |
Eccentricity | 0.092315 |
5.62 yr (2051.8 d) | |
Average orbital speed | 16.73 km/s |
132.718° | |
0° 10m 31.638s / day | |
Inclination | 7.97343° |
2.59859° | |
60.8260° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 225 × 173 km [4] |
204.89±3.6 km (IRAS) [3] | |
Mass | (6.606 ± 2.584/2.173)×1018 kg [5] |
Mean density | 1.676 ± 0.655/0.551 g/cm3 [5] [lower-alpha 1] |
Equatorial surface gravity | 0.042 m/s² |
Equatorial escape velocity | 0.0928 km/s |
7.22 h (0.301 d) [3] | |
0.0395±0.001 [3] 0.0395 [6] | |
Temperature | ~157 K |
C [3] | |
7.74 [3] | |
94 Aurora is one of the largest main-belt asteroids. With an albedo of only 0.04, it is darker than soot, and has a primitive composition consisting of carbonaceous material. It was discovered by J. C. Watson on September 6, 1867, in Ann Arbor, and named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn.
This asteroid is orbiting the Sun with a period of 5.62 years and a relatively low eccentricity of 0.092. It is spinning with a rotation period of 7.22 hours. Observations of an occultation using nine chords indicate an oval outline of 225×173 km. [4] The asteroid's pole of rotation lies just 4–16° away from the plane of the ecliptic. [7]
7 Iris is a large main-belt asteroid and possible remnant planetesimal orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. It is the fourth-brightest object in the asteroid belt. 7 Iris is classified as an S-type asteroid, meaning that it has a stony composition.
11 Parthenope is a large, bright main-belt asteroid.
41 Daphne is a large asteroid from the asteroid belt. It is a dark-surfaced body 174 km in diameter is probably composed of primitive carbonaceous chondrites. The spectra of the asteroid displays evidence of aqueous alteration. It was discovered by H. Goldschmidt on May 22, 1856, and named after Daphne, the nymph in Greek mythology who was turned into a laurel tree. Incorrect orbital calculations initially resulted in 56 Melete being mistaken for a second sighting of Daphne. Daphne was not sighted again until August 31, 1862.
48 Doris is one of the largest main belt asteroids. It was discovered on 19 September 1857 by Hermann Goldschmidt from his balcony in Paris.
78 Diana is a large and dark main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by German astronomer Robert Luther on March 15, 1863, and named after Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt. The asteroid is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.620 AU with a period of 4.24 years and an eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.207. The orbital plane is tilted at an angle of 8.688° relative to the plane of the ecliptic. Its composition is carbonaceous and primitive.
80 Sappho is a large, S-type (stony) main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by English astronomer Norman Pogson on May 2, 1864, and is named after Sappho, the Archaic Greece poet. The asteroid is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.2957 AU with a period of 3.48 years and an eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.2. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 8.68° to the plane of the ecliptic.
81 Terpsichore is a large and very dark main-belt asteroid. It has most probably a very primitive carbonaceous composition. It was found by the prolific comet discoverer Ernst Tempel on September 30, 1864. It is named after Terpsichore, the Muse of dance in Greek mythology.
83 Beatrix is a fairly large asteroid orbiting in the inner part of the main asteroid belt. It was discovered by Annibale de Gasparis on April 26, 1865. It was his last asteroid discovery. A diameter of at least 68 kilometres (42 mi) was determined from the Beatrician stellar occultation observed on June 15, 1983. It is named for Beatrice Portinari, beloved of Dante Alighieri and immortalized by him in La Vita Nuova and The Divine Comedy.
100 Hekate is a large main-belt asteroid.
103 Hera is a moderately large main-belt asteroid with an orbital period of 4.44 years. It was discovered by Canadian-American astronomer James Craig Watson on September 7, 1868, and named after Hera, queen and fifth in power of the Olympian gods in Greek mythology. This is a stony S-type asteroid with a silicate surface composition.
22 Kalliope is a large M-type asteroid from the asteroid belt discovered by J. R. Hind on 16 November 1852. It is named after Calliope, the Greek Muse of epic poetry. It is orbited by a small moon named Linus.
162 Laurentia is a large and dark main-belt asteroid that was discovered by the French brothers Paul Henry and Prosper Henry on 21 April 1876, and named after Joseph Jean Pierre Laurent, an amateur astronomer who discovered asteroid 51 Nemausa.
209 Dido is a main-belt asteroid with a diameter of 179±1 km. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on October 22, 1879, in Clinton, New York and was named after the mythical Carthaginian queen Dido. This asteroid is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 3.15 AU with an eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.058 and a period of 5.59 yr. The orbital plane is tilted at an angle of 7.2° to the plane of the ecliptic.
247 Eukrate is a rather large main-belt asteroid. It is dark and probably a primitive carbonaceous body. The asteroid was discovered by Robert Luther on March 14, 1885, in Düsseldorf. It was named after Eucrate, a Nereid in Greek mythology.
279 Thule is a large asteroid from the outer asteroid belt. It is classified as a D-type asteroid and is probably composed of organic-rich silicates, carbon and anhydrous silicates. Thule was the first asteroid discovered with a semi-major axis greater than 4 AU. It was discovered by Johann Palisa on 25 October 1888 in Vienna and was named after the ultimate northern land of Thule.
372 Palma is one of the largest main-belt asteroids. It is a B-type asteroid.
386 Siegena is a very large main-belt asteroid. It is classified as a C-type asteroid and is probably composed of primitive carbonaceous material.
395 Delia is a large Main belt asteroid. It was discovered by the French astronomer Auguste Charlois on 30 November 1894 in Nice. "Delia" is an epithet for the ancient Greco-Roman Moon goddess Artemis, for her birthplace at Delos. This asteroid is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.79 AU with an orbital eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.085 and a period of 4.64 yr. The orbital plane is tilted at an angle of 3.35° to the plane of the ecliptic.
679 Pax is a minor planet orbiting the Sun that was discovered by German astronomer August Kopff on January 28, 1909. It is named after Pax, a Roman goddess. It is orbiting the Sun with a period of 4.16 years and an eccentricity of 0.31.
714 Ulula is a main belt asteroid. It is orbiting the Sun near the 3:1 Kirkwood Gap with a period of 4.04 years and an eccentricity of 0.057. It was discovered by German astronomer J. Helffrich on 18 May 1911 from the Heidelberg Observatory and was named after an order of owls. The asteroid has a mean radius of 20 km and is spinning with a rotation period of seven hours. Its pole of rotation lies just 4–14° away from the plane of the ecliptic. The surface spectrum shows a pyroxene chemistry and is consistent with mesosiderites/HED meteorites.