212 Medea

Summary

Medea (minor planet designation: 212 Medea) is a very large main-belt asteroid that was discovered by Johann Palisa on February 6, 1880, in Pola, and was named after Medea, a figure in Greek mythology.[5]

212 Medea
3D convex shape model of 212 Medea
Discovery
Discovered byJohann Palisa
Discovery date6 February 1880
Designations
(212) Medea
Pronunciation/mɪˈdə/[1]
Named after
Medea
A880 CA, 1930 FW
Main belt
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc136.05 yr (49694 d)
Aphelion3.4422 AU (514.95 Gm)
Perihelion2.78929 AU (417.272 Gm)
3.11575 AU (466.110 Gm)
Eccentricity0.10478
5.50 yr (2008.8 d)
28.1280°
0° 10m 45.156s / day
Inclination4.2636°
313.478°
100.91°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
136.12±2.5 km[2]
144.13 ± 7.23 km[3]
Mass(1.32 ± 0.10) × 1019 kg[3]
Mean density
8.41 ± 1.43 g/cm3[3]
10.283 h (0.4285 d)[2]
10.12 h[4]
0.0465±0.002
DCX:[4]
8.28

Photometric observations of this asteroid in 1987 gave an incomplete lightcurve with a period of 10.12 ± 0.06 hours and a brightness variation of 0.13 in magnitude. This object has a spectrum that matches a DCX: classification.[4] Lightcurve data has also been recorded by observers at the Antelope Hill Observatory (H09), which has been designated as an official observatory by the Minor Planet Center. They found a period of 10.283 hours with a brightness variation of 0.08 magnitude.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  2. ^ a b c Yeomans, Donald K., "212 Medea", JPL Small-Body Database Browser, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, retrieved 12 May 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Carry, B. (December 2012), "Density of asteroids", Planetary and Space Science, vol. 73, pp. 98–118, arXiv:1203.4336, Bibcode:2012P&SS...73...98C, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2012.03.009. See Table 1.
  4. ^ a b c di Martino, M.; et al. (July 1995), "Intermediate size asteroids: Photoelectric photometry of 8 objects.", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement, vol. 112, pp. 1–7, Bibcode:1995A&AS..112....1D.
  5. ^ Schmadel Lutz D. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (fifth edition), Springer, 2003. ISBN 3-540-00238-3.
  6. ^ "Lightcurve Results". Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2008.

External links edit

  • Lightcurve plot of (212) Medea Archived 31 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Antelope Hills Observatory
  • The Asteroid Orbital Elements Database
  • Minor Planet Discovery Circumstances
  • Asteroid Lightcurve Data File
  • 212 Medea at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
    • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
  • 212 Medea at the JPL Small-Body Database  
    • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters