Wikipedia

4962 Vecherka

4962 Vecherka, provisional designation 1973 TP, is a Eunomian asteroid and slow rotator from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 October 1973, by Soviet astronomer Tamara Smirnova at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, on the Crimean peninsula.[12] The asteroid was named after Vechernij Petersburg, a newspaper that also publishes astronomical information.[2]

4962 Vecherka
Discovery [1]
Discovered byT. Smirnova
Discovery siteCrimean Astrophysical Obs.
Discovery date1 October 1973
Designations
(4962) Vecherka
Named after
Vechernij Petersburg [2]
(Russian newspaper)
1973 TP · 1952 TF
1969 TM6 · 1973 UG3
1986 WC3
main-belt · (middle)
Maria [3] · background [4]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc64.61 yr (23,600 days)
Aphelion2.9857 AU
Perihelion2.2265 AU
2.6061 AU
Eccentricity0.1457
4.21 yr (1,537 days)
170.48°
0° 14m 3.48s / day
Inclination15.108°
207.02°
141.66°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions8.54±0.59 km[5]
9.62±2.43 km[6]
9.951±0.201 km[7][8]
10.06 km (calculated)[9]
336±48 h[10]
0.21 (assumed)[9]
0.210±0.038[7]
0.21±0.11[6]
0.2102±0.0377[8]
0.349±0.170[5]
S (assumed)[9]
11.94±0.27[11] · 12.10[5][8] · 12.3[1][9] · 12.67[6]

Orbit and classification

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When applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements, Vecherka has both been considered a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population (according to Nesvorný),[4] and core member of the Maria family (according to Milani and Knežević).[3]

It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 2.2–3.0 AU once every 4 years and 3 months (1,537 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 15° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The body's observation arc begins with its first observation as 1952 TF at Uccle Observatory in October 1952, or 21 years prior to its official discovery observation at Nauchnij.[12]

Physical characteristics

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Vecherka is an assumed stony S-type asteroid,[9] which corresponds to the overall spectral type of the Maria family.[13]: 23 

Slow rotator

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In August 2015, a rotational lightcurve of Vecherka was obtained from photometric observations by a collaboration of Bulgarian astronomers. Lightcurve analysis gave a long rotation period of 336±48 hours with a brightness variation of 1.08 magnitude (U=2), indicating that the body's shape is irregular and elongated rather than spherical.[10] This long period makes Vecherka a slow rotator, which ranks among the Top 200 slowest ones known to exists.

Diameter and albedo

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According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Vecherka measures between 8.54 and 9.951 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.210 and 0.349.[5][6][7][8]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.21 – derived from 15 Eunomia, the family's largest member and namesake – and calculates a diameter of 10.06 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 12.3.[9]

Naming

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Based on a proposal by the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy (ITA), this minor planet was named after Vechernij Petersburg, a popular evening newspaper from Saint Petersburg, Russia, that publishes astronomical information and articles popularizing astronomical knowledge on a regular basis.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 December 1997 (M.P.C. 31023).[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4962 Vecherka (1973 TP)" (2017-05-23 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(4962) Vecherka". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 427. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4840. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b "Asteroid 4962 Vecherka – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Small Bodies Data Ferret". Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv:1209.5794. Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8.
  6. ^ a b c d Nugent, C. R.; Mainzer, A.; Bauer, J.; Cutri, R. M.; Kramer, E. A.; Grav, T.; et al. (September 2016). "NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year Two: Asteroid Diameters and Albedos". The Astronomical Journal. 152 (3): 12. arXiv:1606.08923. Bibcode:2016AJ....152...63N. doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/63.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (4962) Vecherka". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  10. ^ a b Tomov, Dimitar; Kurtenkov, Alexander; Enimanev, Mihail; Teneva, Deana (October 2016). "Asteroid 4962 Vecherka: A High-Amplitude Slow Rotator". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 43 (4): 321–322. Bibcode:2016MPBu...43..321T. ISSN 1052-8091.
  11. ^ Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 – Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007.
  12. ^ a b "4962 Vecherka (1973 TP)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  13. ^ Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 978-0-8165-3213-1.
  14. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
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