1617 Alschmitt

1617 Alschmitt
Discovery[1]
Discovered byL. Boyer
Discovery siteAlgiers Obs.
Discovery date20 March 1952
Designations
(1617) Alschmitt
Named after
Alfred Schmitt (astronomer)[2]
1952 FB · 1929 CC1
1935 ER · 1941 HH
1947 LS · 1952 DK2
1975 AJ · A906 DC
main-belt · (outer)[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc111.18 yr (40,607 days)
Aphelion3.6085 AU
Perihelion2.7913 AU
3.1999 AU
Eccentricity0.1277
5.72 yr (2,091 days)
167.85°
0° 10m 19.92s / day
Inclination13.265°
154.96°
24.216°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions21.12±2.86 km[4]
21.283±0.267 km[5][6]
36.78 km (calculated)[3]
7.0602±0.0033 h[7]
7.0613±0.0007 h[8]
7.062±0.002 h[8]
0.057 (assumed)[3]
0.190±0.046[4]
0.270±0.020[5][6]
C[3]
10.4[5] · 10.80[4] · 10.807±0.002 (R)[7] · 10.9[1][3]

1617 Alschmitt, provisional designation 1952 FB, is an assumed carbonaceous asteroid from in the outer parts of the main belt, approximately 30 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 20 March 1952, by French astronomer Louis Boyer at Algiers Observatory in Algeria, Northern Africa, and named after French astronomer Alfred Schmitt.[2][9]

Orbit and classification[edit]

This asteroid orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.8–3.6 AU once every 5 years and 9 months (2,091 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13 and an inclination of 13° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] Alschmitt was first identified as A906 DC at Heidelberg in 1906, extending the body's observation arc by 46 years prior to its official discovery observation.[9]

Physical characteristics[edit]

Alschmitt is a presumed carbonaceous C-type asteroid.[3]

Lightcurves[edit]

Two rotational lightcurve of Alschmitt obtained in 2003 and 2004, by René Roy and Laurent Bernasconi, gave a well-defined rotation period of 7.0613 and 7.062 hours with a brightness variation of 0.39 and 0.52 in magnitude, respectively (U=3/3).[7] In October 2010, the Palomar Transient Factory derived a period of 7.0602 hours with an amplitude 0.49 magnitude (U=2).[7]

Diameter and albedo[edit]

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Alschmitt measures 21.12 and 21.28 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.190 and 0.270, respectively.[4][5][6] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 36.78 kilometers using an absolute magnitude of 10.9.[3]

Naming[edit]

Boyer named this minor planet for his colleague Alfred Schmitt (1907–1973), astronomer at Algiers, Strasbourg and Quito observatories, who, 20 years earlier, had named the asteroid 1215 Boyer in his honor.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 August 1978 (M.P.C. 4418).[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1617 Alschmitt (1952 FB)" (2017-04-26 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1617) Alschmitt". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1617) Alschmitt. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 128. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1618. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "LCDB Data for (1617) Alschmitt". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d 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 28 December 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90.
  6. ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  8. ^ a b Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (1617) Alschmitt". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  9. ^ a b "1617 Alschmitt (1952 FB)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  10. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2009). "Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4. ISBN 978-3-642-01964-7.

External links[edit]