18 Melpomene

18 Melpomene

Three-dimensional model of 18 Melpomene created using light-curve inversions.
Discovery
Discovered by John Russell Hind
Discovery date June 24, 1852
Designations
Pronunciation /mɛlˈpɒmᵻniː/ mel-POM-i-nee
Named after
 Melpomenē
Main belt
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch October 22, 2004 (JD 2453300.5)
Aphelion 418.414 Gm (2.797 AU)
Perihelion 268.472 Gm (1.795 AU)
343.443 Gm (2.296 AU)
Eccentricity 0.218
1270.552 d (3.48 a)
19.42 km/s
205.245°
Inclination 10.126°
150.547°
227.975°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 170 × 155 × 129 km[2]
(150×125 km)[3]
(150×170 km)[4]
140.6 ± 2.8 km (IRAS)[1]
Mass 3.0×1018 kg[2]
Mean density
 1.69±0.66 g/cm3[2]
~0.0393 m/s2
~0.0743 km/s
0.482 21 d (11.57 h)[1][5]
Albedo 0.223 (geometric) [1][6]
Temperature ~177 K
Spectral type
 S[1]
7.5[7] to 12.0
6.51[1]
0.23" to 0.059"

    18 Melpomene is a large, bright main-belt asteroid that was discovered by J. R. Hind on June 24, 1852,[8] and named after Melpomenē, the Muse of tragedy in Greek mythology. It is classified as an S-type asteroid and is composed of silicates and metals.

    Melpomene occulted the star SAO 114159 on December 11, 1978. A possible Melpomenean satellite with a diameter at least 37 km was detected. The satellite candidate received a provisional designation S/1978 (18) 1.[9] In 1988 a search for satellites or dust orbiting this asteroid was performed using the UH88 telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories, but the effort came up empty.[10] Melpomene was observed with the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993. It was able to resolve the asteroid's slightly elongated shape, but no satellites were detected.[3]

    Melpomene has been studied by radar.[11]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Yeomans, Donald K., "18 Melpomene", JPL Small-Body Database Browser, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, retrieved 2013-04-07.
    2. 1 2 3 Jim Baer (2008). "Recent Asteroid Mass Determinations". Personal Website. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
    3. 1 2 Storrs, Alex; Weiss; Zellner; Burlsen; et al. (1999). "Imaging Observations of Asteroids with Hubble Space Telescope" (PDF). Icarus. 137 (2): 260–268. Bibcode:1999Icar..137..260S. doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6047. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
    4. ↑ Storrs, Alex; Dunne; Conan; Mugnier; et al. (2005). "A closer look at main belt asteroids 1: WF/PC images" (PDF). Icarus. 173 (2): 409–416. Bibcode:2005Icar..173..409S. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.007. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
    5. ↑ "Lightcurves and Map Data on Numbered Asteroids N° 1 TO 52225". AstroSurf. Archived from the original on 2005-11-27. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
    6. ↑ "Asteroid Data Archive". Planetary Science Institute. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
    7. ↑ Menzel, Donald H.; Pasachoff, Jay M. (1983). A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. p. 391. ISBN 0-395-34835-8.
    8. ↑ "Numbered Minor Planets 1–5000", Discovery Circumstances, IAU Minor Planet center, retrieved 2013-04-07.
    9. ↑ IAUC 3315: 1978 (18) 1; WZ Sge, Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, retrieved 2011-07-05.
    10. ↑ Gradie, J.; Flynn, L. (March 1988), "A Search for Satellites and Dust Belts Around Asteroids: Negative Results", Abstracts of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 19, pp. 405–406, Bibcode:1988LPI....19..405G.
    11. ↑ Radar-Detected Asteroids and Comets, NASA/JPL Asteroid Radar Research, retrieved 2011-10-30.

    External links

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