3169 Ostro
Minorplanetyes
Background
  1. D6D6D6
Discovered4 June 1981
DiscovererE. Bowell
Discovery siteAnderson Mesa Stn.
Mpc name(3169) Ostro
Alt names1981 LA
Named afterSteven J. Ostro
(planetary scientist)[1]
Mp categorymain-belt · (inner)[2] · Hungaria[3][4]
Epoch4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty0
Observation arc63.43 yr (23,166 days)
Aphelion2.0184 AU
Perihelion1.7652 AU
Semimajor1.8918 AU
Eccentricity0.0669
Period2.60 yr (950 days)
Mean anomaly120.41°
Mean motion/ day
Inclination24.906°
Asc node96.376°
Arg peri32.622°
Dimensions4.662 ± 0.118[5]
5.27 km (derived)[4]
Rotation6.503 ± 0.003[6]
Albedo0.5152 (derived)[4]
0.960 ± 0.023[5]
Abs magnitude12.73[2][4]

3169 Ostro, provisional designation , is a Hungaria family asteroid from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter.

The asteroid was discovered on 4 June 1981, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at Lowell's Anderson Mesa Station in Flagstaff, Arizona,[3] and named after planetary scientist Steven J. Ostro at JPL.[1]

Orbit and classification

Ostro is a member of the Hungaria family, which form the innermost dense concentration of asteroids in the Solar System. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.0 AU once every 2 years and 7 months (950 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.07 and an inclination of 25° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]

Physical characteristics

In the Tholen and SMASS taxonomy, Ostro is classified as a TS-type and Xe-type asteroid, respectively.[2] It has also been characterized as an E-type asteroid.[4]

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Ostro measures 4.662 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an outstandingly high albedo of 0.960.[5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.5152 and a diameter of 5.27 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 12.73.[4]

In May 2012, a rotational lightcurve of Ostro was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of 6.503 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.79 magnitude (U=3).[6]

Naming

This minor planet was named after American planetary scientist Steven J. Ostro at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology.[1] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 April 1987 (M.P.C. 11749).[7]

References

  1. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3169) Ostro". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3169) Ostro. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 262. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3170. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  2. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3169 Ostro (1981 LA)" (2017-06-04 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived 23 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  3. ^ "3169 Ostro (1981 LA)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  4. ^ No. 3169. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  5. ^ 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 15 June 2017.
  6. ^ Warner, Brian D. (October 2012). "Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory: 2012 March - June". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 39 (4): 245–252. Bibcode:2012MPBu...39..245W. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  7. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.