94 Aurora

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Short description: Main-belt asteroid
94 Aurora
94Aurora (Lightcurve Inversion).png
A three-dimensional model of 94 Aurora based on its light curve.
Discovery
Discovered byJames Craig Watson
Discovery date6 September 1867
Designations
(94) Aurora
Pronunciation/əˈrɔːrə, ɒ-/[1]
Named afterAurōra
Minor planet categoryMain belt
AdjectivesAurorean /ɔːˈrɔːriən/[2]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc143.72 yr (52494 d)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}3.45175 astronomical unit|AU (516.374 Gm)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}2.86831 AU (429.093 Gm)
3.16003 AU (472.734 Gm)
Eccentricity0.092315
Orbital period5.62 yr (2051.8 d)
Average Orbital speed16.73 km/s
Mean anomaly132.718°
Mean motion0° 10m 31.638s / day
Inclination7.97343°
Longitude of ascending node2.59859°
60.8260°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions204.89±3.6 km (IRAS)[3]
225×173 km[4]
Mass(6.23 ± 3.64) × 1018 kg[5]
Mean density1.83 ± 1.10[5] g/cm3
Equatorial surface gravity
0.0573 m/s²
Equatorial escape velocity
0.1083 km/s
Rotation period7.22 h (0.301 d)[3]
Geometric albedo0.0395±0.001[3]
0.0395[6]
Physics~157 K
C[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)7.57[3]


Aurora (minor planet designation: 94 Aurora) is one of the largest main-belt asteroids. With an albedo of only 0.04, it is darker than soot, and has a primitive composition consisting of carbonaceous material. It was discovered by J. C. Watson on September 6, 1867, in Ann Arbor, and named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn.

This asteroid is orbiting the Sun with a period of 5.62 years and a relatively low eccentricity of 0.092. It is spinning with a rotation period of 7.22 hours. Observations of an occultation using nine chords indicate an oval outline of 225×173 km.[4] The asteroid's pole of rotation lies just 4–16° away from the plane of the ecliptic.[7]

References

  1. aurora (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, September 2005, http://oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=aurora  (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. aurorean (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, September 2005, http://oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=aurorean  (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
    But see 'aurora' for the first vowel.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 94 Aurora". https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=94. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Occultation of TYC 6910-01938-1 by (94) Aurora - 2001 October 12". Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand. http://occsec.wellington.net.nz/planet/2001/plnres01.htm#Aurora.  (Chords)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Carry, B. (December 2012), "Density of asteroids", Planetary and Space Science 73 (1): 98–118, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2012.03.009, Bibcode2012P&SS...73...98C.  See Table 1.
  6. Asteroid Data Sets
  7. Marciniak, A. et al. (May 2011), "Photometry and models of selected main belt asteroids. VIII. Low-pole asteroids", Astronomy & Astrophysics 529: 14, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201015365, A107, Bibcode2011A&A...529A.107M 

External links





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