Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Indiana University (Indiana Asteroid Program) |
Discovery site | Goethe Link Obs. |
Discovery date | 16 September 1952 |
Designations | |
(2023) Asaph | |
Named after | Asaph Hall (American astronomer)[2] |
1952 SA | |
main-belt · (outer)[3] | |
Orbital characteristics [1] | |
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 64.53 yr (23,571 days) |
Aphelion | 3.6816 AU |
Perihelion | 2.0703 AU |
2.8760 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.2801 |
4.88 yr (1,781 days) | |
98.697° | |
0° 12m 7.56s / day | |
Inclination | 22.352° |
3.1290° | |
357.53° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 19.678±0.264 km[4][5] 20.56±0.43 km[6] 21.29±0.40 km[7] 25.44 km (calculated)[3] |
3.87±0.02 h[8][a] 4.74±0.01 h[9] 9.19±0.05 h[10] | |
0.057 (assumed)[3] 0.090±0.004[7] 0.096±0.018[6][5] 0.1045±0.0204[4] | |
C [3] | |
11.6[4][6][7] · 11.7[1][3] | |
2023 Asaph, provisional designation 1952 SA, is a dark asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 21 kilometers in diameter.[6] It was discovered on 16 September 1952, by astronomers of the Indiana Asteroid Program at Goethe Link Observatory in Indiana, United States.[11]
Asaph orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.1–3.7 AU once every 4 years and 11 months (1,781 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.28 and an inclination of 22° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The asteroid's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation Goethe Link.[11]
In November 2001, a rotational lightcurve of Asaph was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 4.74 hours with a low brightness variation of 0.06 magnitude (U=2-).[9] Upon re-examination of the revised data set, Warner constructed a new, ambiguous lightcurve with two possible period solutions of 3.87 and 6.28 hours (U=2-).[8][a] These observations supersede a period of 9.19 hours derived from two fragmentary lightcurves obtained in 2001 and 2006, respectively (U=1/1).[10]
According to the surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Asaph measures between 19.678 and 21.29 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.09 and 0.1045.[4][5][6][7]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and consequently calculates a larger diameter of 25.44 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.7.[3]
This minor planet was named in memory of American astronomer Asaph Hall (1829–1907), who discovered the Martian satellites, Phobos and Deimos.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 15 October 1977 (M.P.C. 4238).[12]