1404 Ajax

1404 Ajax
Discovery [1]
Discovered by K. Reinmuth
Discovery site Heidelberg Obs.
Discovery date 17 August 1936
Designations
MPC designation 1404 Ajax
Named after
 Ajax
(Greek mythology)[2]
1936 QW
Jupiter trojan [1][3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 27 June 2015 (JD 2457200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 78.75 yr (28,762 days)
Aphelion 5.9016 AU
Perihelion 4.7063 AU
5.3040 AU
Eccentricity 0.1126
12.22 yr (4,462 days)
165.73°
Inclination 18.004°
332.97°
60.250°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 81.69 km[4]
96.34±2.25 km[5]
83.99±1.28 km[6]
81.43 km (derived)[3]
29.38 h[7]
28.4 h[8]
34 h[9]
0.0665[4]
0.050±0.003[5]
0.048±0.009[6]
0.0508 (derived)[3]
C [3]
9.3

    1404 Ajax, provisional designation 1936 QW, is a large, carbonaceous Jupiter trojan, about 82 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg Observatory on 17 August 1936.[10]

    The C-type body belongs to the Greek Camp of Trojan asteroids. It orbits the Sun in the L4 Lagrangian point of the Sun-Jupiter system at a distance of 4.7–5.9 AU once every 12 years and 3 months (4,462 days). It has a rotation period of 29.4 hours[7] and an albedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.07, as measured by the IRAS, Akari, WISE and NEOWISE surveys.[4][5][6]

    Jupiter trojans are thought to have been captured into their orbits during or shortly after the early stages of the formation of the Solar System. More than 6,200 Jupiter trojans have already been discovered.[11]

    The minor planet is named after the Greek half-god and hero in the Trojan War, Ajax. He is the son of Telamon, who kills himself because the armor of Achilles was awarded to Odysseus (also see 588 Achilles, 1143 Odysseus and 1749 Telamon).[2]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1404 Ajax (1936 QW)" (2015-05-17 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved November 2015.
    2. 1 2 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1404) Ajax. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 113. ISBN 978-3-540-29925-7. Retrieved November 2015.
    3. 1 2 3 4 "LCDB Data for (1404) Ajax". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved November 2015.
    4. 1 2 3 Tedesco, E. F.; Noah, P. V.; Noah, M.; Price, S. D. (October 2004). "IRAS Minor Planet Survey V6.0". NASA Planetary Data System. Bibcode:2004PDSS...12.....T. Retrieved November 2015.
    5. 1 2 3 Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. Retrieved November 2015.
    6. 1 2 3 Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. Retrieved November 2015.
    7. 1 2 French, Linda M.; Stephens, Robert D.; Lederer, Susan M.; Coley, Daniel R.; Rohl, Derrick A. (April 2011). "Preliminary Results from a Study of Trojan Asteroids". Bulletin of the Minor Planets (Section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers) 38 (2): 116–120. Bibcode:2011MPBu...38..116F. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved November 2015.
    8. ↑ Binzel, Richard P.; Sauter, Linda M. (February 1992). "Trojan, Hilda, and Cybele asteroids - New lightcurve observations and analysis". Icarus: 222–238. Bibcode:1992Icar...95..222B. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(92)90039-A. ISSN 0019-1035. Retrieved November 2015.
    9. ↑ Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (1404) Ajax". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved November 2015.
    10. ↑ "1404 Ajax (1936 QW)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved November 2015.
    11. ↑ "Trojan Minor Planets". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved November 2014.

    External links


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