4954 Eric (prov. designation: 1990 SQ) is an eccentric, stony asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Amor group, approximately 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Brian Roman at Palomar Observatory on 23 September 1990.[4] The asteroid was named after its discoverer's son, Eric Roman.
 Shape model of Eric from its lightcurve | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Brian P. Roman |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 23 September 1990 |
| Designations | |
| (4954) Eric | |
| 1990 SQ | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 14681 days (40.19 yr) |
| Aphelion | 2.8993 AU (433.73 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 1.10393 AU (165.146 Gm) |
| 2.0016 AU (299.44 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.44848 |
| 2.83 yr (1034.4 d) | |
| 314.18° | |
| 0° 20m 52.944s / day | |
| Inclination | 17.4461° |
| 358.52° | |
| 52.429° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.194843 AU (29.1481 Gm) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 10.8 km |
| 5.4 km | |
| 12.052[3] hours | |
| S (SMASSII) | |
| 12.6 | |
It is the largest near-Earth asteroid discovered since 3552 Don Quixote in 1983.[2] On 2007 October 11 the asteroid passed 0.2865 AU (42,860,000 km; 26,630,000 mi) from Earth.[4] It currently makes closer approaches to Mars than it does Earth. The asteroid has a rotation period of 12.05 hours.[3]
Other large near-Earth asteroids include 1036 Ganymed (32 km), 3552 Don Quixote (19 km), 433 Eros (17 km), and 1866 Sisyphus (8.5 km).[2][5]
References
edit- ^ "(4954) Eric = 1990 SQ". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ^ a b c "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: asteroids and NEOs and H < 13 (mag)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- ^ a b Hanus, J.; Durech, J.; Broz, M.; Marciniak, A.; Warner, B. D.; Pilcher, F.; et al. (March 2013). "Asteroids' physical models from combined dense and sparse photometry and scaling of the YORP effect by the observed obliquity distribution". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 551: 16. arXiv:1301.6943. Bibcode:2013A&A...551A..67H. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220701. S2CID 118627434.
- ^ a b "JPL Close-Approach Data: 4954 Eric (1990 SQ)" (2012-09-04 last obs). Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- ^ Philip A. Bland; Elaine A. Moore; Ian Wright; Mike Widdowson (2004). An Introduction to the Solar System. Cambridge University Press. p. 394. ISBN 978-0-521-54620-1.
External links
edit- 4954 Eric at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
- 4954 Eric at the JPL Small-Body Database
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