113390 Helvetia
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | M. Griesser |
| Discovery site | Eschenberg Observatory |
| Discovery date | 29 September 2002 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 113390 Helvetia |
Named after |
Helvetia (national personification) |
| 2002 SU19 · 2001 FS166 | |
| main-belt | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 27 June 2015 (JD 2457200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 54.58 yr (19,936 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.7696 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.8359 AU |
| 2.3027 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2027 |
| 3.49 yr (1,276 days) | |
| 278.98° | |
| Inclination | 7.3577° |
| 298.49° | |
| 8.8099° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 3±1 km (calculated)[2] |
| 15.6[1] | |
|
| |
113390 Helvetia, provisional designation 2002 SU19, is an asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, roughly 3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Swiss astronomer Markus Griesser at the Eschenberg Observatory in Winterthur, Switzerland, on 29 September 2002.[3]
The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.8 AU once every 3 years and 6 months (1,276 days). Its orbit shows an eccentricity of 0.20 and is tilted by 7 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. Little is known about the asteroids size, composition, albedo and rotation, despite having a well-observed orbit with the lowest possible uncertainty – a condition code of 0 – and an observation arc that spans over a period of more than half a century, as the first asteroid precovery images were already taken on photographic plates in 1960.[1]
Based on its absolute magnitude of 15.6, its diameter could be anywhere between 2 and 5 kilometers, assuming an albedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.25.[2] Since asteroids in the inner main-belt are often of a brighter silicaceous – rather than of a darker carbonaceous composition, with higher albedos, typically around 0.20, the asteroid's diameter might be on the lower end of NASA's published conversion table, as, for a given absolute magnitude, the higher the reflectivity (albedo), the smaller the body's calculated diameter.[2]
The minor planet was named in February 2006 and bears the name for Switzerland (Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica), where the asteroid was discovered. Helvetia is also an allegorical figure and symbol for the nation. Each Swiss stamp carries her name, and her figure appears on most Swiss coins.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 113390 Helvetia (2002 SU19)" (2015-04-25 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved December 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Absolute Magnitude (H)". NASA/JPL. Retrieved December 2015.
- 1 2 "113390 Helvetia (2002 SU19)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved December 2015.
External links
- Eschenberg Observatory – website
- "Helvetia" - the First Swiss Astronaut (German)
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info)
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- 113390 Helvetia at the JPL Small-Body Database
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