1727 Mette
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | A. D. Andrews |
| Discovery site | Boyden Observatory |
| Discovery date | 25 January 1965 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 1727 Mette |
|
Named after
|
Mette Andrews (wife of discoverer)[2] |
| 1965 BA · 1955 DC | |
| Mars-crosser · Hungarian [3] | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 27 June 2015 (JD 2457200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 59.89 yr (21,875 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.0425 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.6654 AU |
| 1.8540 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1017 |
| 2.52 yr (922 days) | |
| 10.366° | |
| Inclination | 22.897° |
| 133.04° | |
| 313.10° | |
| Known satellites | 1 (see 2nd infobox)[lower-alpha 1] |
| Earth MOID | 0.7174 AU |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 9.40 km (calculated)[3] |
| 2.98109 h[4][5] 2.63 h[6] 2.637 h[7] 3.22 h[8] 2.981±0.001 h[9] 2.427 h[lower-alpha 2] 2.98125±0.00004 h[9] 2.981±0.001 h[10] 2.981±0.003 h[11] 2.9814±0.0001 h[9] 2.9808±0.0002 h[12] |
|
| 0.20 (assumed)[3] | |
| Tholen = S S [3] |
|
| 12.5 | |
1727 Mette, provisional designation 1965 BA, is a stony, binary asteroid[lower-alpha 1] and Mars-crosser from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, about 9 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by English astronomer David Andrews at Boyden Observatory near Bloemfontein in Free State, South Africa on 25 January 1965.[13]
The S-type asteroid 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 1.7–2.0 AU once every two and a half years (922 days). Its orbit shows an eccentricity of 0.10 and is significantly tilted by 23 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. It has been observed numerous times with light-curve analysis indicating a moderately elongated body and rendering a rotation period of close to 3 hours.[9][12] The body has an assumed geometric albedo of 0.20, typical for stony asteroids.[3] Being a Mars-crosser, it will make a relatively close approach to Mars on April 15, 2023, when it will pass near the Red Planet at a distance of less than 0.08 AU, or 12 million kilometers.[1]
In 2013, a satellite orbiting the asteroid was discovered. The moon measures about 2 kilometers in diameter and orbits Mette once every 20 hours and 59 minutes.[4][5][14] There are several hundreds of asteroids known to have satellites (also see Category:Binary asteroids).[15]
The minor planet was named by the discoverer after his wife, Mette Andrews for her comprehension of his nocturnal working hours and absence from home.[2]
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovery date | 17 January 2013 [lower-alpha 1] |
| Light-curve | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| 21 km | |
| 0.8746±0.0008 days (20 hours, 59±1 minutes) |
|
| 31 mas (maximum) | |
| Satellite of | 1727 Mette |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 2.14 km [14] |
| 3.4 ± 0.2 fainter than primary[14] | |
| 15.7 | |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (No.3402), 5 February 2013 for (1727) METTE: "CCD photometric observations made between Jan. 17 and 21 show that minor planet (1727) Mette is a binary system with an orbital period of 21.05 +/- 0.03 hr. The light-curve of the primary has a period of 2.98091 +/- 0.00009 hr with an amplitude of 0.33 +/- 0.01 mag, indicating a moderately elongated body. Assuming a triaxial ellipsoidal shape and equatorial view, this gives an a/b ratio of 1.36 +/- 0.02. This makes the object unusual in that the primaries of most small binary systems are nearly spheroidal. The depth of the events ranges from 0.04 to 0.07 mag. The depth of the secondary event gives a lower limit for the effective secondary-to-primary diameter ratio of Ds/Dp = 0.20 +/- 0.02. A general "bowing" of the secondary period light curve (amplitude 0.01–0.02 mag) indicates that the satellite is probably tidally-locked to the orbital period." — Reported by B. D. Warner, Palmer Divide Observatory, Colorado Springs, CO, USA; R. D. Stephens, Center for Solar System Studies, Landers, CA, USA; and A. W. Harris, MoreData!, La Canada, CA, USA.
- ↑ Monson (2011) web: rotation period 2.427 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.29. Summary figures at Asteroid Lightcurve Database for (1727) Mette
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- (IAUC) CBET 3402: 20130205 : (1727) METTE
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info)
- 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
- 1727 Mette at the JPL Small-Body Database
