3073 Kursk, provisionally known as 1979 SW11, is a stony Florian asteroid and synchronous binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 4.7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 September 1979, by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj, on the Crimean peninsula.[5]

3073 Kursk
Discovery [1]
Discovered byN. Chernykh
Discovery siteCrimean Astrophysical Obs.
Discovery date24 September 1979
Designations
(3073) Kursk
Named after
Kursk (Russian city)[2]
1979 SW11 · 1969 VG1
main-belt · Flora[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc47.38 yr (17,305 days)
Aphelion2.5475 AU
Perihelion1.9375 AU
2.2425 AU
Eccentricity0.1360
3.36 yr (1,227 days)
64.484°
0° 17m 36.6s / day
Inclination5.0362°
204.11°
232.21°
Known satellites1 (D: 1.67 km[4]
Physical characteristics
Dimensions4.67 km (derived)[3]
3.4468 h (0.14362 d)
0.24 (assumed)[3]
S[3]
13.6[1] · 13.86[3]

Orbit and characterization

edit

Kursk is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest families of stony S-type asteroid in the main belt. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.9–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,227 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora, a S-type asteroid and the family's largest member and namesake – and derives a diameter of 4.67 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.86.[3]

Satellite

edit

A 1.67 kilometer-large minor-planet moon, designated S/2007 (3073) 1 was discovered orbiting Kursk in 44.96 hours (or 1 day, 20 hours, and 57 minutes).[4]

Naming

edit

This minor planet was named after the old Russian city Kursk.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 2 July 1985 (M.P.C. 9771).[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3073 Kursk (1979 SW11)" (2017-03-29 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3073) Kursk". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3073) Kursk. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 253. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3074. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (3073) Kursk". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  4. ^ a b Johnston, Robert (21 September 2014). "(3073) Kursk". johnstonsarchive.net. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  5. ^ "3073 Kursk (1979 SW11)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  6. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
edit