81 Terpsichore

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81 Terpsichore
Discovery
Discovered by Ernst Wilhelm Tempel
Discovery date September 30, 1864
Designations
Alternative names  
Minor planet
category
Main belt
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion 516.955 Gm (3.456 AU)
Perihelion 337.132 Gm (2.254 AU)
Semi-major axis 427.044 Gm (2.855 AU)
Eccentricity 0.211
Orbital period 1761.647 d (4.82 a)
Average orbital speed 17.43 km/s
Mean anomaly 149.581°
Inclination 7.809°
Longitude of ascending node 1.497°
Argument of perihelion 50.234°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 119.1 km
Mass 1.8×1018 kg
Mean density ? g/cm³
Equatorial surface gravity 0.0333 m/s²
Escape velocity 0.0630 km/s
Rotation period ? d
Albedo 0.051 [1]
Temperature ~165 K
Spectral type C
Absolute magnitude 8.48

81 Terpsichore (tərp-sik'-ə-ree, IPA: /tɚrpˈsɪkəri/) is a large and very dark main belt asteroid. It has most likely a very primitive carbonaceous composition. It was found by the prolific comet discoverer Ernst Tempel on September 30, 1864. It is named after Terpsichore, the Muse of dance in Greek mythology.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Asteroid Data Sets