10121 Arzamas, provisional designation 1993 BS4, is a dark Themistian asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered on 27 January 1993, by Belgian astronomer Eric Elst at Caussols (010) in southeastern France.[8] It was later named after the Russian city of Arzamas.[2]

10121 Arzamas
Discovery[1]
Discovered byE. W. Elst
Discovery siteCERGA (Caussols Obs.)
Discovery date27 January 1993
Designations
(10121) Arzamas
Named after
Arzamas (Russian city)[2]
1993 BS4 · 1994 GA11
2118 T-1
main-belt · Themis[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc46.12 yr (16,844 days)
Aphelion3.6918 AU
Perihelion2.7164 AU
3.2041 AU
Eccentricity0.1522
5.74 yr (2,095 days)
319.65°
0° 10m 18.48s / day
Inclination0.8917°
30.729°
263.08°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions10.28 km (calculated)[3]
10.757±0.391 km[4][5]
12.1±0.3 h[6]
12.1991±0.0060 h[7]
0.080±0.024[5]
0.08 (assumed)[3]
0.0801±0.0237[4]
C[3]
13.2[4] · 13.375±0.003[7] · 13.4[1][3]

Orbit and classification

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Arzamas is a member of the Themis family, a dynamical family of outer main-belt asteroids with nearly co-planar ecliptical orbits. 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 (2,095 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The body's observation arc begins 22 years prior to its official discovery observation, when it was identified as 2118 T-1 at Palomar Observatory during the first Palomar–Leiden Trojan survey in 1971.[8]

Physical characteristics

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Lightcurves

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In February 2010, two rotational lightcurves of Arzamas were obtained from photometric observations at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 12.1 and 12.1991 hours with a brightness variation of 0.7 and 0.6 magnitude, respectively (U=2/2).[6][7]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Arzamas measures 10.8 kilometer in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.08.[4][5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link also assumes an albedo of 0.08, characterizes it as a C-type asteroid, and calculates a diameter of 10.3 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.4.[3]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after the Russian city of Arzamas, a major transit center on the road from Moscow to the eastern parts of the country. It was founded in 1578 by Ivan the Terrible and is located on the Tyosha River, known for making leather and dyeing fabrics ever since.[2][8] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 24 November 2007 (M.P.C. 61266).[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 10121 Arzamas (1993 BS4)" (2017-05-05 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2009). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (10121) Arzamas, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2006–2008. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 47. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (10121) Arzamas". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. S2CID 118700974. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  5. ^ 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. S2CID 118745497. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b Polishook, D.; Ofek, E. O.; Waszczak, A.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Gal-Yam, A.; Aharonson, O.; et al. (April 2012). "Asteroid rotation periods from the Palomar Transient Factory survey". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 421 (3): 2094–2108. arXiv:1201.1930. Bibcode:2012MNRAS.421.2094P. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20462.x. S2CID 40538809.
  7. ^ a b c Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. S2CID 8342929. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  8. ^ a b c "10121 Arzamas (1993 BS4)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  9. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
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