38 Leda

38 Leda

A three-dimensional model of 38 Leda based on its light curve.
Discovery
Discovered by J. Chacornac
Discovery date January 12, 1856
Designations
Named after
Leda
A904 SF; 1949 QO2
Main belt
Orbital characteristics
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion 472.587 Gm (3.159 AU)
Perihelion 348.232 Gm (2.328 AU)
410.409 Gm (2.743 AU)
Eccentricity 0.152
1659.725 d (4.54 a)
17.88 km/s
107.567°
Inclination 6.955°
295.890°
168.804°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 115.41 ± 1.33[1] km
Mass (5.71 ± 5.47) × 1018[1] kg
Mean density
7.09 ± 6.79[1] g/cm3
0.0324 m/s²
0.0613 km/s
0.5350 d (12.84 h) [2]
Albedo 0.0618 [2]
Temperature ~170 K
Spectral type
C[2]
8.32

    38 Leda /ˈldə/ is a large, dark main-belt asteroid that was discovered by French astronomer J. Chacornac on January 12, 1856, and named after Leda, the mother of Helen of Troy in Greek mythology. In the Tholen classification system, it is categorized as a carbonaceous C-type asteroid, while the Bus asteroid taxonomy system lists it as a Cgh asteroid.[3]

    Leda has been studied by radar.[4] During 2002, 38 Leda was observed by radar from the Arecibo Observatory. The return signal matched an effective diameter of 116 ± 13 km. This is consistent with the asteroid dimensions computed through other means.[5] Based upon a light curve that was generated from photometric observations of this asteroid at Pulkovo Observatory, it has a rotation period of 12.834 ± 0.001 hours and varies in brightness by 0.15 ± 0.01 in magnitude.[6]

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 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.
    2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 38 Leda at the JPL Small-Body Database
    3. DeMeo, Francesca E. et al. (2011), "An extension of the Bus asteroid taxonomy into the near-infrared" (PDF), Icarus 202 (1): 160–180, Bibcode:2009Icar..202..160D, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.02.005, retrieved 2013-04-12. See appendix A.
    4. "Radar-Detected Asteroids and Comets". NASA/JPL Asteroid Radar Research. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
    5. Magri, Christopher et al. (January 2007), "A radar survey of main-belt asteroids: Arecibo observations of 55 objects during 1999–2003", Icarus 186 (1): 126–151, Bibcode:2007Icar..186..126M, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.08.018
    6. Pilcher, Frederick (October 2011), "Rotation Period Determinations for 11 Parthenope, 38 Leda, 111 Ate 194 Prokne, 217 Eudora, and 224 Oceana", Bulletin of the Minor Planets Section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers 38 (4): 183–185, Bibcode:2011MPBu...38..183P.

    External links