3169 Ostro

3169 Ostro

Ostro imaged by the 0.7-m telescope at Heidelberg Observatory
Discovery [1]
Discovered by	E. Bowell
Discovery site	Anderson Mesa Stn.
Discovery date	4 June 1981
Designations
MPC designation	(3169) Ostro
Named after	Steven J. Ostro (planetary scientist)[2]
Alternative designations	1981 LA
Minor planet category	main-belt · (inner) [1] · Hungaria [3][4]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	63.43 yr (23,166 days)
Aphelion	2.0184 AU
Perihelion	1.7652 AU
Semi-major axis	1.8918 AU
Eccentricity	0.0669
Orbital period (sidereal)	2.60 yr (950 days)
Mean anomaly	120.41°
Mean motion	0° 22^m 43.68^s / day
Inclination	24.906°
Longitude of ascending node	96.376°
Argument of perihelion	32.622°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	4.662±0.118[5] 5.27 km (derived)[4]
Synodic rotation period	6.503±0.003[6]
Geometric albedo	0.5152 (derived)[4] 0.960±0.023[5]
Spectral type	TS (Tholen)[1] Xe (SMASS)[1] B–V = 0.771[1] U–B = 0.306[1]
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.73[1][4]

3169 Ostro, provisional designation 1981 LA, is a Hungaria family asteroid from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter.

The asteroid was discovered on 4 June 1981, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at Lowell's Anderson Mesa Station in Flagstaff, Arizona,^[3] and named after planetary scientist Steven J. Ostro at JPL.^[2]

Orbit and classification

Ostro is a member of the Hungaria family, which form the innermost dense concentration of asteroids in the Solar System. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.0 AU once every 2 years and 7 months (950 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.07 and an inclination of 25° with respect to the ecliptic.^[1]

Physical characteristics

In the Tholen and SMASS taxonomy, Ostro is classified as a TS-type and Xe-type asteroid, respectively.^[1] It has also been characterized as an E-type asteroid.^[4]

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Ostro measures 4.662 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an outstandingly high albedo of 0.960.^[5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.5152 and a diameter of 5.27 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 12.73.^[4]

In May 2012, a rotational lightcurve of Ostro was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of 6.503 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.79 magnitude (U=3).^[6]

Naming

This minor planet was named after American planetary scientist Steven J. Ostro at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology.^[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 April 1987 (M.P.C. 11749).^[7]

References

1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3169 Ostro (1981 LA)" (2017-06-04 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3169) Ostro". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3169) Ostro. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 262. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3170. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
3. "3169 Ostro (1981 LA)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
4. "LCDB Data for (3169) Ostro". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 15 June 2017.
5. 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 15 June 2017.
6. Warner, Brian D. (October 2012). "Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory: 2012 March - June". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 39 (4): 245–252. Bibcode:2012MPBu...39..245W. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
7. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.

External links

• Lightcurve plot of 3169 Ostro, Palmer Divide Observatory, B. D. Warner (2012)
• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Asteroids with Satellites, Robert Johnston, johnstonsarchive.net
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
• Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
• 3169 Ostro at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 3169 Ostro at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters