Arago orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.8–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 8 months (2,058 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.12 and an inclination of 19° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The asteroid's observation arc begins at Uccle Observatory in 1935, twelve years after its official discovery observation at Simeiz.[12]
Physical characteristics
Diameter and albedo
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Arago measures between 48.57 and 68.404 kilometers (30.180 and 42.504 mi) in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.0498 and 0.08.[4][5][6][7][8][10] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.0582 and a diameter of 57.69 kilometers (35.85 mi) based on an absolute magnitude of 9.9.[3]
Lightcurve
In October 2010, a rotational lightcurve of Arago was obtained from photometric observations that was later submitted to the CALL website. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 8.7819 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.22 magnitude (U=n.a.).[a] In April 2016, another lightcurve was obtained by the group of Spanish amateur astronomers OBAS. It gave a concurring period of 8.784 hours with an amplitude of 0.22 magnitude (U=3).[11]
Spectral type
Arago is characterized by WISE as a dark and reddish P-type asteroid. It is also a carbonaceous C-type asteroid as generically assumed by CALL.[3][10]
^ abCALL (2002): Submitted observations to the CALL website with a rotation period 8.7819±0.0001 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.22 mag. Summary figures for (1005) Arago at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)
