51 Nemausa

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51 Nemausa
Discovery
Discovered by A. Laurent
Discovery date January 22, 1858
Designations
Alternative names  
Minor planet
category		 Main belt
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion 377.381 Gm (2.523 AU)
Perihelion 330.360 Gm (2.208 AU)
Semi-major axis 353.871 Gm (2.365 AU)
Eccentricity 0.066
Orbital period 1328.853 d (3.64 a)
Average orbital speed 19.34 km/s
Mean anomaly 316.668°
Inclination 9.972°
Longitude of ascending node 176.168°
Argument of perihelion 2.820°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 147.9 km[1]
(170 x 136)[2]
Mass 3.4×1018 kg
Mean density ? g/cm³
Equatorial surface gravity 0.0413 m/s²
Escape velocity 0.0782 km/s
Rotation period ? d
Albedo 0.093 [3]
Temperature ~181 K
Spectral type G
Absolute magnitude 7.35

51 Nemausa (IPA: /nɨˈmɔzə/) is a large Main belt asteroid similar to 1 Ceres in composition. It was discovered in the city of Nîmes, France, after which it was named (in its Latin name). The discoverer was a certain "A. Laurent" who never made any more asteroid discoveries and about whom not much seems to be known. The asteroid was discovered using the private observatory at the house formerly occupied by Benjamin Valz, who left to become the new director of the Marseille Observatory. He entrusted his former observatory to A. Laurent, who later found the asteroid. The house, at 32 rue Nationale in Nîmes, has a plaque commemorating the discovery. [4]

A small satellite has been suggested based on lightcurve data. [5]

Nemausa may have a water content of about 14%.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 51 Nemausa (2008-05-09 last obs). Retrieved on 2008-05-23.
  2. ^ Diameters. Astronomical Applications Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory. Retrieved on 2008-05-23.
  3. ^ Asteroid Data Sets
  4. ^ http://www.netnimes.com/centre_ville_8.htm
  5. ^ Other reports of asteroid/TNO companions
  6. ^ A. S. Rivkin (2002). CALCULATED WATER CONCENTRATIONS ON C CLASS ASTEROIDS. Lunar and Planetary Institute. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.

[edit] External links

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