5381 Sekhmet

5381 Sekhmet
Discovery [1]
Discovered by C. S. Shoemaker
Discovery site Palomar Obs.
Discovery date 14 May 1991
Designations
MPC designation 5381 Sekhmet
Named after
 Sekhmet
(Egyptian mythology)[2]
1991 JY
Aten · NEO
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 27 June 2015 (JD 2457200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 24.00 yr (8,765 days)
Aphelion 1.2281 AU
Perihelion 0.6667 AU
0.9474 AU
Eccentricity 0.2962
0.92 yr (337 days)
165.44°
Inclination 48.968°
58.546°
37.429°
Earth MOID 0.1123 AU
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 1.42 km[3]
2.8233 h
S[3]
16.6[1]

    5381 Sekhmet is an Aten asteroid whose orbit is sometimes closer to the Sun than the Earth's. It was discovered on 14 May 1991 by Carolyn Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory. It is named after Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of war.[2]

    Sekhmet is believed to be an S-type asteroid, and believed by some to measure approximately 1.4 km in diameter.[3][4]

    In December 2003, a team of astronomers at Arecibo Observatory announced that the asteroid may have a moon that measures 300 m in diameter and orbits approximately 1.5 km from Sekhmet.[4] This moon is not yet confirmed.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 5381 Sekhmet (1991 JY)" (2015-05-13 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved January 2016.
    2. 1 2 "5381 Sekhmet (1991 JY)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved January 2016.
    3. 1 2 3 "LCDB Data for (5381) Sekhmet". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved January 2016.
    4. 1 2 Neish, C. D.; et al. (December 2003), "Radar Observations of Binary Asteroid 5381 Sekhmet", Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society 35: 1421, Bibcode:2003AAS...20313402N

    External links

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