51823 Rickhusband

51823 Rickhusband
Discovery [1]
Discovered by NEAT
Discovery site Palomar Obs.
Discovery date 18 July 2001
Designations
MPC designation (51823) Rickhusband
Named after
 Rick Husband
(American astronaut)[2]
2001 OY28 · 1994 JM7
2000 KM25
main-belt · (outer)
Lixiaohua [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 22.10 yr (8,073 days)
Aphelion 3.8268 AU
Perihelion 2.4604 AU
3.1436 AU
Eccentricity 0.2173
5.57 yr (2,036 days)
244.46°
0° 10m 36.48s / day
Inclination 11.556°
58.048°
347.14°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 8.731±0.159 km[4]
0.048±0.005[4]
14.3[1]

    51823 Rickhusband, provisional designation 2001 OY28, is a dark Lixiaohua asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 9 kilometers in diameter.

    It was discovered on 18 July 2001, by astronomers of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking at Palomar Observatory in California, United States.[5] The asteroid was named after American astronaut Rick Husband, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.[2]

    Orbit and classification

    Rickhusband is a member of the Lixiaohua family, an outer-belt asteroid family of more than 700 known members, which consists of C- and X-type asteroids.[3][6]:23

    It orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.5–3.8 AU once every 5 years and 7 months (2,036 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 12° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

    The body's observation arc begins with its first identification as 1994 JM7 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak Observatory in May 1994, more than 7 years prior to its official discovery observation by NEAT.[5]

    Physical characteristics

    Rotation period

    As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve of Rickhusband has been obtained from photometric observations. The asteroid's rotation period, poles and shape remains unknown.[7]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Rickhusband measures 8.731 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.048.[4]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named in memory of American astronaut Rick Husband (1957–2003), who was the commander of STS-107 and was killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 February 2003. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 6 August 2003 (M.P.C. 49283).[8]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 51823 Rickhusband (2001 OY28)" (2016-06-07 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
    2. 1 2 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (51823) Rickhusband, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 215. ISBN 978-3-540-34361-5. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
    3. 1 2 "Small Bodies Data Ferret". Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
    4. 1 2 3 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. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
    5. 1 2 "51823 Rickhusband (2001 OY28)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
    6. ↑ Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families" (PDF). Asteroids IV: 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
    7. ↑ "LCDB Data for (51823) Rickhusband". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
    8. ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
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