2608 Seneca

2608 Seneca, provisional designation 1978 DA, is a stony asteroid and sub-kilometer near-Earth object of the Amor group, approximately 0.9 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 17 February 1978, by German astronomer Hans-Emil Schuster at ESO's La Silla Observatory in northern Chile, and named after Roman philosopher Seneca.[3][4]

2608 Seneca
Discovery [1]
Discovered byH.-E. Schuster
Discovery siteLa Silla Obs.
Discovery date17 February 1978
Designations
(2608) Seneca
Pronunciation/ˈsɛnɪkə/[2]
Named after
Seneca the Younger
(Roman philosopher)[3]
1978 DA
NEO · Amor [1][4]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 1
Observation arc38.92 yr (14,217 days)
Aphelion3.9532 AU
Perihelion1.0777 AU
2.5154 AU
Eccentricity0.5716
3.99 yr (1,457 days)
353.12°
0° 14m 49.56s / day
Inclination14.682°
167.37°
37.350°
Earth MOID0.1321 AU · 51.5 LD
Physical characteristics
Dimensions0.9 km[1][5][6]
1.0±0.3[6]
8 h[6]
0.15±0.03[6]
0.20 (derived)[5]
0.21[1]
Tholen = S [1] · S [5]
B–V = 0.826[1]
U–B = 0.454[1]
17.52[1] · 17.59[5][7] · 17.73[6]

    Orbit

    Seneca orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.1–4.0 AU once every 3 years and 12 months (1,457 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.57 and an inclination of 15° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

    The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation in 1978, as no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made.[4]

    Close approaches

    Seneca has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.1321 AU (19,800,000 km), which corresponds to 51.5 lunar distances.[1] On 22 March 2062, it will pass 0.254 AU (38,000,000 km) from the Earth.[8]

    Physical characteristics

    In the Tholen taxonomy, Seneca is a stony S-type asteroid.[1]

    Photometry

    In March 1978, a photometric observations taken by Degewij and Lebofsky at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Arizona, using a 154-cm reflector, gave a rotational lightcurve with a rotation period of 8 hours and a brightness amplitude of 0.4 (0.5) magnitude (U=2).[6]

    Radiometry

    In addition, radiometric observations by L. and M. Lebofsky with the 71-cm reflector gave a mean-diameter of 1.0±0.3 kilometers and albedo of 0.15±0.03.[6]

    Diameter and albedo

    The Minor Planet Center classifies Seneca as an object larger than 1 kilometer ("1+ KM Near-Earth Object"),[4] while Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.20 and a diameter of 0.9 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 17.59.[5] In 1994, astronomer Tom Gehrels published a diameter of 0.9 kilometers with an albedo of 0.21 in his Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids.[1]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named after Roman philosopher and statesman Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BC – AD 65), also known as "Seneca the Younger" or simply "Seneca".[3] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 8 April 1982 (M.P.C. 6835).[9] The lunar crater Seneca was also named in his honor.[3]

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2608 Seneca (1978 DA)" (2017-01-20 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
    2. "Seneca". Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. September 2005. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
    3. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(2608) Seneca". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2608) Seneca. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 213. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2609. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    4. "2608 Seneca (1978 DA)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
    5. "LCDB Data for (2608) Seneca". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 26 March 2017.
    6. Degewij, J.; Lebofsky, L.; Lebofsky, M. (March 1978). "1978 CA and 1978 DA". IAU Circ. 3193 (3193): 1. Bibcode:1978IAUC.3193....1D. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
    7. Schuster, H. E.; Surdej, A.; Surdej, J. (September 1979). "Photoelectric observations of two unusual asteroids - 1978 CA and 1978 DA". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 37: 483–486. Bibcode:1979A&AS...37..483S. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
    8. "JPL Close-Approach Data: 2608 Seneca (1978 DA)" (2010-08-19 last obs). Retrieved 15 April 2016.
    9. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 March 2017.

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