2613 Plzeň
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | L. Brožek |
| Discovery site | Kleť Observatory |
| Discovery date | 30 August 1979 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 2613 Plzen |
Named after | Plzeň (city, aka: Pilsen)[2] |
| 1979 QE · 1969 XA | |
| main-belt | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 45.62 yr (16664 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.1797 AU (475.68 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 2.9013 AU (434.03 Gm) |
| 3.0405 AU (454.85 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.045776 |
| 5.30 yr (1936.5 d) | |
| 199.07° | |
| 0° 11m 9.24s / day | |
| Inclination | 13.018° |
| 277.61° | |
| 192.09° | |
| Earth MOID | 1.91902 AU (287.081 Gm) |
| Jupiter MOID | 1.98785 AU (297.378 Gm) |
| Jupiter Tisserand parameter | 3.199 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions |
28.18 km (IRAS)[1] 22±9 km (generic mag.)[3] |
Mean radius | 14.09 ± 1.1 km |
| 0.0737 (IRAS)[1] | |
| 11.4[1] | |
|
| |
2613 Plzeň, provisional designation 1979 QE, is a dark asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, about 28 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 30 August 1979, by Czech astronomer Ladislav Brožek at the South Bohemian Kleť Observatory in the Czech Republic.[4]
The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.9–3.2 AU once every 5 years and 4 months (1,936 days). Its orbit shows an eccentricity of 0.05 and is tilted by 13 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. Little is known about the asteroids composition and rotation, despite having a well-observed orbit with the lowest possible uncertainty (i.e. a condition code of 0) and an observation arc that spans over a period of almost half a century.[1]
Based on its absolute magnitude of 11.4, its diameter could be anywhere between 13 and 32 kilometers, assuming an albedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.25.[3] However, three observations made by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite, IRAS, gave a relatively low albedo of 0.07. This is in line with expectations, since most asteroids in the outer main-belt are of a carbonaceous rather than of a silicaceous composition, with low albedos, typically closer to 0.05 than to 0.25. Based on observations by the IRAS satellite, the asteroid's diameter is 28 kilometers and at the upper end of NASA's published conversion table, as the lower the reflectivity (albedo), the larger the body's diameter for a given absolute magnitude.[3]
The minor planet was named in honour of the Czech city of Plzeň, internationally better known as "Pilsen", birthplace of the discoverer, industrial and cultural center of West Bohemia, and known worldwide for its Pilsner beer.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2613 Plzen (1979 QE)" (2015-07-17 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
- 1 2 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2613) Plzeň. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 213. ISBN 978-3-540-29925-7. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Absolute Magnitude (H)". NASA/JPL. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
- ↑ "2613 Plzen (1979 QE)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
External links
- Klet Observatory website – 2613 Plzeň
- 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 (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
- 2613 Plzeň at the JPL Small-Body Database
