Paul Wiegert

Last updated
Minor planets discovered: 85 [1]
see § List of discovered minor planets

Paul Arnold Wiegert (born 1967) is a Canadian astronomer, discoverer of minor planets and professor at the University of Western Ontario. [2]

Contents

Wiegert studies unusual orbits of both observed objects and theorised classes of objects, for example, one early paper [3] considers not-known-to-exist planets orbiting the nearby Alpha Centauri star system, while later papers extend that case to more general planetary stability in general binary systems (as exoplanet studies are finding increasingly frequently). This work in particular should be of interest to science fiction authors inventing universes.

Other areas of work include identifying the orbits of minor planets in the Solar System, which by virtue of their potential instability could realistically become major threats to civilization when one impacts on Earth again, as they have in the past. The Minor Planet Center credits him with the discovery of 80 numbered minor planets between 2003 and 2008. [1] Wiegert was also involved in the discovery of 3753 Cruithne, Earth's first known Trojan asteroid. [2] [4]

He was also the a member of the team that identified 524522 Zoozve, as a quasi-satellite of Venus, in 2004, two years after the actual discovery of the object. [5] [6]

The outer main-belt asteroid 15068 Wiegert was named in his honor. [2]

List of discovered minor planets

172996 Stooke 25 May 2006 list
199763 Davidgregory 1 May 2006 list
204786 Wehlau 25 May 2006 list
(229280) 2005 BN4716 January 2005 list
233472 Moorcroft 25 May 2006 list
236616 Gray 1 May 2006 list
254422 Henrykent 9 November 2004 list [A]
261930 Moorhead 25 May 2006 list
262536 Nowikow 26 October 2006 list [A]
263251 Pandabear 6 January 2008 list [A]
273230 de Bruyn 1 May 2006 list
273262 Cottam 25 May 2006 list
277883 Basu 1 May 2006 list
(281067) 2006 KU13025 May 2006 list
(282630) 2005 RL503 September 2005 list
(290156) 2005 QL18327 August 2005 list
(290181) 2005 RZ503 September 2005 list
(291824) 2006 KH13325 May 2006 list
(292856) 2006 UE34126 October 2006 list
(298762) 2004 HT7726 April 2004 list
(299518) 2006 CX632 February 2006 list
(299631) 2006 JP681 May 2006 list
(304122) 2006 JY731 May 2006 list
(304557) 2006 UL35226 October 2006 list
(305344) 2008 AB1226 January 2008 list
(306257) 2011 RF325 May 2006 list
(307681) 2003 SA42525 September 2003 list
(308753) 2006 JD791 May 2006 list
(309426) 2007 TX41225 May 2006 list
(311604) 2006 KD13725 May 2006 list
(312676) 2010 MF3619 January 2007 list
(315529) 2008 AN1206 January 2008 list
(317843) 2003 SH42425 September 2003 list
(317844) 2003 SU42625 September 2003 list
(319358) 2006 CE642 February 2006 list
(319455) 2006 KB14225 May 2006 list
(322569) 2011 YQ6514 September 2007 list
(324208) 2006 AS1037 January 2006 list
(324327) 2006 JB721 May 2006 list
(327559) 2006 CS632 February 2006 list
(331824) 2003 SU42425 September 2003 list
(335013) 2004 HW7626 April 2004 list
(339395) 2005 BA4816 January 2005 list
(340538) 2006 JJ731 May 2006 list
(344700) 2003 SV42325 September 2003 list
(344918) 2004 RY34712 September 2004 list
(345702) 2006 UL35727 October 2006 list
(349018) 2006 UD35226 October 2006 list
(350205) 2012 QE225 May 2006 list
(351475) 2005 PH2710 August 2005 list
(353730) 2011 WN11424 November 2005 list
(355145) 2006 UZ34326 October 2006 list
(358712) 2008 AO1216 January 2008 list
(360106) 2013 CM1325 May 2006 list
(362643) 2011 SZ18525 May 2006 list
(362683) 2011 UD931 May 2006 list
(363834) 2005 PH255 August 2005 list
(364179) 2006 KU13825 May 2006 list
(365879) 2011 UC31825 May 2006 list
(371548) 2006 UY34926 October 2006 list
(376299) 2011 FC13815 December 2004 list
(376303) 2011 FK14814 September 2007 list
(376674) 2013 QD2916 January 2005 list
(377395) 2004 RW34912 September 2004 list
(377959) 2006 JK611 May 2006 list
(387984) 2005 ON2931 July 2005 list
(391240) 2006 KP13425 May 2006 list
(393652) 2004 PN11612 August 2004 list
(394654) 2008 AS1206 January 2008 list
(400015) 2006 KH12625 May 2006 list
(402361) 2005 VV1341 November 2005 list
(405285) 2003 SV42425 September 2003 list
(405915) 2006 JP701 May 2006 list
(416605) 2004 PV11612 August 2004 list
(422054) 2014 QE36616 January 2005 list
important;
(434357) 2004 RC35012 September 2004 list
(434709) 2006 CJ693 February 2006 list [A]
(438334) 2006 KD13925 May 2006 list
(441316) 2008 AV1256 January 2008 list
(444474) 2006 KL14225 May 2006 list
(470002) 2006 KW13725 May 2006 list
(476348) 2008 AT1236 January 2008 list
(489211) 2006 JH741 May 2006 list
(493446) 2014 WJ36125 May 2006 list
(497593) 2006 JU691 May 2006 list
Co-discovery made with:
A A. Papadimos

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jupiter trojan</span> Asteroid sharing the orbit of Jupiter

The Jupiter trojans, commonly called trojan asteroids or simply trojans, are a large group of asteroids that share the planet Jupiter's orbit around the Sun. Relative to Jupiter, each trojan librates around one of Jupiter's stable Lagrange points: either L4, existing 60° ahead of the planet in its orbit, or L5, 60° behind. Jupiter trojans are distributed in two elongated, curved regions around these Lagrangian points with an average semi-major axis of about 5.2 AU.

In ancient times, only the Sun and Moon, a few stars, and the most easily visible planets had names. Over the last few hundred years, the number of identified astronomical objects has risen from hundreds to over a billion, and more are discovered every year. Astronomers need to be able to assign systematic designations to unambiguously identify all of these objects, and at the same time give names to the most interesting objects, and where relevant, features of those objects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">69230 Hermes</span> Sub-kilometer sized asteroid and binary system on an eccentric orbit

69230 Hermes is a sub-kilometer sized asteroid and binary system on an eccentric orbit, classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group, that passed Earth at approximately twice the distance of the Moon on 30 October 1937. The asteroid was named after Hermes from Greek mythology. It is noted for having been the last remaining named lost asteroid, rediscovered in 2003. The S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 13.9 hours. Its synchronous companion was discovered in 2003. The primary and secondary are similar in size; they measure approximately 810 meters (2,700 ft) and 540 meters (1,800 ft) in diameter, respectively.

<span class="nowrap">2002 AA<sub>29</sub></span>

2002 AA29 (also written 2002 AA29) is a small near-Earth asteroid that was discovered on January 9, 2002 by the LINEAR (Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research) automatic sky survey. The diameter of the asteroid is only about 20–100 metres (70–300 ft). It revolves about the Sun on an almost circular orbit very similar to that of the Earth. This lies for the most part inside the Earth's orbit, which it crosses near the asteroid's furthest point from the Sun, the aphelion. Because of this orbit, the asteroid is classified as Aten type, named after the asteroid 2062 Aten.

2003 YN107 is a tiny asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Aten group moving in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with Earth. Because of that, it is in a co-orbital configuration relative to Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quasi-satellite</span> Type of satellite in sync with another orbit

A quasi-satellite is an object in a specific type of co-orbital configuration with a planet where the object stays close to that planet over many orbital periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">524522 Zoozve</span> Temporary quasi-satellite of Venus

524522 Zoozve (provisional designation 2002 VE68) is a sub-kilometer sized asteroid and temporary quasi-satellite of Venus. Discovered in 2002, it was the first such object to be discovered around a major planet in the Solar System. In a frame of reference rotating with Venus, it appears to travel around it during one Venerean year, but it orbits the Sun, not Venus.

5264 Telephus is a large Jupiter trojan from the Greek camp, approximately 70 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 17 May 1991, by American astronomer couple Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California, and later named after King Telephus from Greek mythology. The dark and possibly elongated D-type asteroid belongs to the 50 largest Jupiter trojans and has a rotation period of 9.5 hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trojan (celestial body)</span> Objects sharing the orbit of a larger one

In astronomy, a trojan is a small celestial body (mostly asteroids) that shares the orbit of a larger body, remaining in a stable orbit approximately 60° ahead of or behind the main body near one of its Lagrangian points L4 and L5. Trojans can share the orbits of planets or of large moons.

In astronomy, a co-orbital configuration is a configuration of two or more astronomical objects orbiting at the same, or very similar, distance from their primary, i.e. they are in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minor planet</span> Astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is neither a planet or a comet

According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term minor planet, but that year's meeting reclassified minor planets and comets into dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies (SSSBs).

<span class="nowrap">2010 TK<sub>7</sub></span> Near-Earth asteroid

2010 TK7 is a sub-kilometer Near-Earth asteroid and the first Earth trojan discovered; it precedes Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Trojan objects are most easily conceived as orbiting at a Lagrangian point, a dynamically stable location (where the combined gravitational force acts through the Sun's and Earth's barycenter) 60 degrees ahead of or behind a massive orbiting body, in a type of 1:1 orbital resonance. In reality, they oscillate around such a point. Such objects had previously been observed in the orbits of Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, and the Saturnian moons Tethys and Dione.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of the Solar System</span> Overview of and topical guide to the Solar System

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Solar System:

2013 ND15 (also written 2013 ND15) is an asteroid that is a temporary trojan of Venus, the first known Venus trojan.

2014 OL339 (also written 2014 OL339) is an Aten asteroid that is a temporary quasi-satellite of Earth, the fourth known Earth quasi-satellite.

2013 LX28, is an asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group that is a temporary quasi-satellite of the Earth, the third known Earth quasi-satellite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">514107 Kaʻepaokaʻawela</span> Retrograde asteroid discovered in 2014

514107 Kaʻepaokaʻāwela, provisionally designated 2015 BZ509 and nicknamed Bee-Zed, is a small asteroid, approximately 3 km (2 mi) in diameter, in a resonant, co-orbital motion with Jupiter. It is an unusual minor planet in that its orbit is retrograde, which is opposite to the direction of most other bodies in the Solar System. It was discovered on 26 November 2014, by astronomers of the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory on the island of Maui, United States. Kaʻepaokaʻāwela is the first example of an asteroid in a 1:–1 resonance with any of the planets. This type of resonance had only been studied a few years before the object's discovery. One study suggests that it was an interstellar asteroid captured 4.5 billion years ago into an orbit around the Sun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">594913 ꞌAylóꞌchaxnim</span> First known asteroid of the Vatira population

594913 ꞌAylóꞌchaxnim (provisional designation 2020 AV2) is a large near-Earth asteroid discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility on 4 January 2020. It is the first asteroid discovered to have an orbit completely within Venus's orbit, and is thus the first and only known member of the eponymous ꞌAylóꞌchaxnim (informally named Vatira before its discovery) population of Atira-class asteroids. ꞌAylóꞌchaxnim has the smallest known aphelion and third-smallest known semi-major axis among all asteroids. With an absolute magnitude approximately 16.2, the asteroid is expected to be larger than 1 km in diameter.

(614689) 2020 XL5 is a near-Earth asteroid and Earth trojan discovered by the Pan-STARRS 1 survey at Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii on 12 December 2020. It oscillates around the Sun–Earth L4 Lagrangian point (leading 60°), one of the dynamically stable locations where the combined gravitational force acts through the Sun's and Earth's barycenter. Analysis of 2020 XL5's trojan orbit stability suggests it will remain around Earth's L4 point for at least four thousand years until gravitational perturbations from repeated close encounters with Venus destabilize its trojan configuration. With a diameter about 1.2 km (0.75 mi), 2020 XL5 is the second Earth trojan discovered, after 2010 TK7, and is the largest of its kind known.

References

  1. 1 2 "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). "(15068) Wiegert [3.99, 0.22, 1.7]". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (15068) Wiegert, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 90–91. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-34361-5_923. ISBN   978-3-540-34361-5.
  3. Wiegert, Paul A.; Holman, Matt J. (April 1997). "The Stability of Planets in the Alpha Centauri System". Astronomical Journal. 113: 1445–1450. arXiv: astro-ph/9609106 . Bibcode:1997AJ....113.1445W. doi:10.1086/118360. S2CID   18969130 . Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  4. Connors, M. G.; Wiegert, P.; Veillet, C. (December 2011). "Discovery of an Earth Trojan Asteroid". American Geophysical Union. 23: P23C–1727. Bibcode:2011AGUFM.P23C1727C . Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  5. "Discovery of the first quasi-satellite of Venus". Tuorla Observatory . 17 August 2004. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  6. Mikkola, S.; Brasser, R.; Wiegert, P.; Innanen, K. (2004). "Asteroid 2002 VE68, a quasi-satellite of Venus". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 351 (3): L63–L65. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.351L..63M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07994.x.