150 Nuwa is a large main-belt asteroid that was discovered by Canadian-American astronomer James Craig Watson on October 18, 1875,[5] and named after Nüwa, the Chinese creator goddess. It is listed as a member of the Hecuba group of asteroids that orbit near the 2:1 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter.[6] Based upon the spectrum it is classified as a C-type asteroid,[7] which indicates that it is probably composed of primitive carbonaceous chondritic material and the surface is exceedingly dark.
Photometric observations of this asteroid at the Catania Astrophysical Observatory during 1992 and 1993 gave a light curve with a period of 8.140 ± 0.005 hours.[8] In 2004, an additional photometric study was performed at Swilken Brae Observatory in St Andrews, Fife, yielding a probable period of 8.1364 ± 0.0008 hours and a brightness variation of 0.26 ± 0.03 in magnitude.[9] A 2011 study from Organ Mesa Observatory in Las Cruces, New Mexico gave a period of 8.1347 ± 0.0001 hours with a brightness variation of 0.17 ± 0.02 magnitude, which is consistent with prior results.[3]
On December 17, 1999, a star was occulted by Nuwa.
References
- ↑ Yeomans, Donald K., "150 Nuwa", JPL Small-Body Database Browser (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory), retrieved 2013-03-30.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Carry, B. (December 2012), "Density of asteroids", Planetary and Space Science 73: 98–118, arXiv:1203.4336, Bibcode:2012P&SS...73...98C, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2012.03.009. See Table 1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Pilcher, Frederick (July 2011), "Rotation Period Determinations for 28 Bellona, 81 Terpsichore, 126 Velleda, 150 Nuwa, 161 Athor, 419 Aurelia, and 632 Pyrrha", Bulletin of the Minor Planets Section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers 38 (3): 156–158, Bibcode:2011MPBu...38..156P.
- ↑ Richmond, Michael, Asteroid Lightcurve Data File, Updated March 1, 2001, retrieved 2013-04-03.
- ↑ "Numbered Minor Planets 1–5000", Discovery Circumstances (IAU Minor Planet center), retrieved 2013-04-07.
- ↑ McDonald, Sophia Levy (June 1948), "General perturbations and mean elements, with representations of 35 minor planets of the Hecuba group", Astronomical Journal 53: 199, Bibcode:1948AJ.....53..199M, doi:10.1086/106097.
- ↑ DeMeo, Francesca E. et al. (July 2009), "An extension of the Bus asteroid taxonomy into the near-infrared", Icarus 202 (1): 160–180, Bibcode:2009Icar..202..160D, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.02.005, retrieved 2013-04-08. See appendix A.
- ↑ Blanco, C. et al. (February 1996), "Lightcurves, pole direction and shape of asteroids 121 Hermione, 150 Nuwa, 236 Honoria, 287 Nephthys and 377 Campania", Planetary and Space Science 44: 93–106, Bibcode:1996P&SS...44...93B, doi:10.1016/0032-0633(95)00097-6.
- ↑ Vincent, Fiona (August 2006), "The lightcurve of (150) Nuwa", Journal of the British Astronomical Association 116: 200–202, Bibcode:2006JBAA..116..200V.
External links
- Image taken on September 25, 26, 27 2009 from Slooh Robotic Telescope (Teide - Canary Islands): "Title Unknown". Archived from the original on 2009-10-08. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
- Image taken on October 3, 2009 from Slooh Robotic Telescope (Teide - Canary Islands):"Title Unknown". Archived from the original on 2009-11-06. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- Image taken on October 23, 2009 from Slooh Robotic Telescope (Teide - Canary Islands): "Title Unknown". Archived from the original on 2009-11-06. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
