96747 Crespodasilva
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Discovery and designation
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| Discovered by | Lucy D’Escoffier Crespo da Silva |
| Discovery site | Wallace Astrophysical Observatory |
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Designations
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| Alternative names[1] | 1999 QQ2 |
| Minor planet category |
Main-belt Asteroid |
| Epoch 2454600.5 (2008-May-14.0) | |
| Ap | 3.1202902 |
| Peri | 2.0623518 |
| Semi-major axis | 2.5913210 |
| Eccentricity | 0.2041311 |
| Orbital period | 1523.6326212 |
| Mean anomaly | 349.13177 |
| Inclination | 13.17238 |
| Longitude of ascending node | 344.83961 |
| Argument of peri | 57.78395/day |
| Absolute magnitude | 14.4 |
96747 Crespodasilva is a main-belt asteroid discovered by Lucy D’Escoffier Crespo da Silva. While making observations, at the Wallace Astrophysical Observatory, August 16, 1999, she sighted this new asteroid.
Crespo da Silva was working toward an undergraduate degree in earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences at MIT and was to have graduated in December 2000. She took her own life in November 2000. [2] Her area of specialization was observing light curves of minor planets.
Typically, astronomers will name their discoveries after other notable people or each other, but an exception was made in this case. After her death, Richard P. Binzel, an MIT planetary sciences faculty member, suggested that the minor planet Crespo da Silva had discovered be named for her. [3] This exception was granted for her contribution to the field. The asteroid is now designated as 96747 Crespodasilva. [4]
