4222 Nancita

4222 Nancita
Discovery [1]
Discovered by E. Helin
Discovery site Palomar Obs.
Discovery date 13 March 1988
Designations
MPC designation 4222 Nancita
Named after
 Nancy Coker Helin
(discoverer's family)[2]
1988 EK1 · 1950 TF4
1952 HN · 1968 QL1
1972 XQ1 · 1979 SL6
1983 XC1 · 1988 KL
main-belt · (inner) [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 47.28 yr (17,270 days)     
Aphelion 3.0650 AU
Perihelion 1.6697 AU
2.3674 AU
Eccentricity 0.2947
3.64 yr (1,330 days)
356.64°
0° 16m 13.8s / day
Inclination 3.7403°
206.85°
217.50°
Earth MOID 0.6832 AU
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 8.47±0.8 km (IRAS:11)[4]
9.14±0.71 km[5]
9.707±0.215 km[6]
3.8732±0.0003 h[7]
0.2703±0.061 (IRAS:11)[4]
0.232±0.038[5]
0.2057±0.0073[6]
SMASS = S[1]
S [3]
12.3[1]
12.4[3][4][5][6]

    4222 Nancita, provisional designation 1988 EK1, is an eccentric, stony asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, about 9 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by American female astronomer Eleanor Helin at the U.S Palomar Observatory, California, on 13 March 1988.[8] It will become a Mars-crossing asteroid in June 2019.

    The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.7–3.1 AU once every 3 years and 8 months (1,331 days). Its orbit has a eccentricity of 0.29 and a inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The first used precovery was obtained at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1968, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 20 years prior to its discovery.[8]

    A photometric light-curve analysis at the Australian Hunters Hill Observatory and collaborating stations in 2006 rendered a rotation period of 3.87 hours with a high brightness amplitude of 0.97 in magnitude.[7] According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the asteroid measures between 8.5 and 9.7 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo in the range of 0.21 to 0.27.[4][5][6] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link gives preference to the results obtained by IRAS.[3]

    The minor planet was named "Nancita" in honor of Nancy Coker Helin, daughter-in-law of the discoverer, and wife to Bruce Helin, after whom the minor planet 2430 Bruce Helin had previously been named. Nancy is described by the discoverer as a talented singer, composer and teacher, who has brought music and joy to her family.[2] Naming citation was published on 2 December 1990 (M.P.C. 17466).[9]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4222 Nancita (1988 EK1)" (2015-12-10 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved May 2016.
    2. 1 2 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (4222) Nancita. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 361. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. Retrieved May 2016.
    3. 1 2 3 4 "LCDB Data for (4222) Nancita". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved May 2016.
    4. 1 2 3 4 Tedesco, E. F.; Noah, P. V.; Noah, M.; Price, S. D. (October 2004). "IRAS Minor Planet Survey V6.0". NASA Planetary Data System. Bibcode:2004PDSS...12.....T. Retrieved May 2016.
    5. 1 2 3 4 Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. Retrieved May 2016.
    6. 1 2 3 4 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. Retrieved May 2016.
    7. 1 2 Higgins, David; Pravec, Petr; Kusnirak, Peter; Reddy, Vishnu; Dyvig, Ron (September 2006). "Asteroid lightcurve analysis at Hunters Hill Observatory and collaborating stations - summer 2005/6". The Minor Planet Bulletin 33 (3): 64–66. Bibcode:2006MPBu...33...64H. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved May 2016.
    8. 1 2 "4222 Nancita (1988 EK1)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved May 2016.
    9. ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved May 2016.

    External links


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