120 Lachesis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

120 Lachesis
Discovery
Discovered by: Alphonse Borrelly
Discovery date: April 10, 1872
Alternative names:  
Minor planet category: Main belt
Orbital characteristics
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion distance: 493.828 Gm (3.301 AU)
Perihelion distance: 438.480 Gm (2.931 AU)
Semi-major axis: 466.154 Gm (3.116 AU)
Eccentricity: 0.059
Orbital period: 2009.115 d (5.50 a)
Avg. orbital speed: 16.86 km/s
Mean anomaly: 150.174°
Inclination: 6.954°
Longitude of ascending node: 341.511°
Argument of perihelion: 232.006°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions: 174.1 km
Mass: 5.5×1018 kg
Mean density: ? g/cm³
Equatorial surface gravity: 0.0487 m/s²
Escape velocity: 0.0920 km/s
Rotation period: ? d
Albedo: ?
Temperature: ~158 K
Spectral type: C
Absolute magnitude: 7.75

120 Lachesis is a very large and very dark main belt asteroid. As a primitive C-type asteroid it is likely composed of carbonates. It was discovered by Alphonse Borrelly on April 10, 1872 and named after one of the Moirae, or Fates, in Greek mythology. The only observed Lachesean occultation occurred in 1999 and was recorded in the south-western United States.


Minor planets
Previous minor planet 120 Lachesis Next minor planet
List of asteroids