51823_Rickhusband

51823 Rickhusband

51823 Rickhusband

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

Quick Facts Discovery, Discovered by ...

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. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 51823 Rickhusband (2001 OY28)" (2016-06-07 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). "(51823) Rickhusband [3.16, 0.21, 11.5]". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 215. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-34361-5_2552. ISBN 978-3-540-34361-5.
  3. "Asteroid 51823 Rickhusband – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  4. 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. "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". 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.
  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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