63305 Bobkepple
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | D. Healy |
| Discovery site | Junk Bond Obs. |
| Discovery date | 17 March 2001 |
| Designations | |
| (63305) Bobkepple | |
Named after | George "Bob" Kepple (deep-sky astronomer)[2] |
| 2001 FE | |
| main-belt · (outer)[1] Hygiea [3] | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 21.90 yr (7,998 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.6936 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.7077 AU |
| 3.2006 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1540 |
| 5.73 yr (2,091 days) | |
| 221.60° | |
| 0° 10m 19.56s / day | |
| Inclination | 5.5602° |
| 179.85° | |
| 135.54° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 6.216±0.181 km[4] |
| 0.055±0.004[4] | |
| 14.8[1] | |
63305 Bobkepple (provisional designation 2001 FE) is a carbonaceous Hygiean asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 17 March 2001, by astronomer David Healy at the Junk Bond Observatory in Arizona, United States.[5] The asteroid was named after Bob Kepple, co-author of The Night Sky Observer's Guide.
Orbit and classification[edit]
Bobkepple is a member of the Hygiea family (601),[3] a large family of carbonaceous outer-belt asteroids, named after 10 Hygiea, the main belt's fourth-largest asteroid.[6] It orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.7–3.7 AU once every 5 years and 9 months (2,091 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
The body's observation arc begins with a precovery image taken by Spacewatch in March 1995, six years prior to its official discovery observation at Junk Bond Observatory.[5]
Physical characteristics[edit]
Rotation period[edit]
As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve of Bobkepple has been obtained from photometric observations. The asteroid's rotation period, spin axis and shape remains unknown.[1]
Diameter and albedo[edit]
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Bobkepple measures 6.216 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.055.[4]
Naming[edit]
This minor planet was named after deep-sky astronomer George Robert Kepple, creator of the "Astro Cards" observing aids and co-author of The Night Sky Observer's Guide, popular among deep-sky observers.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 4 May 2004 (M.P.C. 51982).[7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 63305 Bobkepple (2001 FE)" (2017-01-26 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
- ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). "(63305) Bobkepple [3.20, 0.16, 5.6]". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 223. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-34361-5_2658. ISBN 978-3-540-34361-5.
- ^ a b "Asteroid 63305 Bobkepple – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
- ^ a b "63305 Bobkepple (2001 FE)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
- ^ Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 978-0-8165-3213-1.
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
External links[edit]
- The Night Sky Observer's Guide by George Robert Kepple and Glen Sanner
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (60001)-(65000) – Minor Planet Center
- 63305 Bobkepple at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- 63305 Bobkepple at the JPL Small-Body Database
