11948 Justinehénin
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | E. W. Elst |
| Discovery site | Caussols (010) |
| Discovery date | 18 August 1993 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 11948 Justinehénin |
Named after |
Justine Henin (tennis player)[2] |
|
1993 QQ4 · 1973 AE3 1991 EJ8 · 1997 GW24 | |
| main-belt · (inner) | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 16 February 2017 (JD 2457800.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 43.61 yr (15,930 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.5802 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.8197 AU |
| 3.2000 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1188 |
| 5.72 yr (2,091 days) | |
| 134.16° | |
| 0° 10m 19.92s / day | |
| Inclination | 1.8914° |
| 159.16° | |
| 75.680° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 12 km (calculated at 0.06)[3] |
| 13.2[1] | |
|
| |
11948 Justinehénin, provisional designation 1993 QQ4, is an asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 12 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 18 August 1993, by Belgian astronomer Eric Elst at Caussols Observatory in southeastern France.[4]
The asteroid orbits the Sun 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 0.12 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The first identification was made at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1973, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 31 years prior to its discovery[4] As of 2016, the asteroid's effective size, its composition and albedo, as well as its rotation period and shape remain unknown.[1]
Based on an absolute magnitude of 13.2,[1] the asteroid is calculated to measure between 6 and 14 kilometers in diameter, assuming an albedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.25.[3] Since asteroids in the outer main-belt are mostly of a carbonaceous rather than of a silicaceous composition, with low albedos, typically around 0.06, the asteroid's diameter might be on the upper end of NASA's published conversion table, as the lower the body's reflectivity (albedo), the larger its diameter at a constant absolute magnitude (brightness).[3]
The minor planet was named for Belgian former professional tennis player Justine Henin (b. 1985). Although her name contains no accent, the asteroid's official name does.[2] Naming citation was published on 10 September 2003 (M.P.C. 49674).[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 11948 Justinehenin (1993 QQ4)" (2016-08-14 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- 1 2 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (11948) Justinehénin, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 66. ISBN 978-3-540-34361-5. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Absolute Magnitude (H)". NASA/JPL. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- 1 2 "11948 Justinehenin (1993 QQ4)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
External links
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info)
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (10001)-(15000) – Minor Planet Center
- 11948 Justinehénin at the JPL Small-Body Database
