3771 Alexejtolstoj

3771 Alexejtolstoj
Discovery [1]
Discovered byL. Zhuravleva
Discovery siteCrimean Astrophysical Obs.
Discovery date20 September 1974
Designations
(3771) Alexejtolstoj
Named after
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Soviet writer)[2]
1974 SB3 · 1954 QF
1984 SG5
main-belt · Flora [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc62.77 yr (22,925 days)
Aphelion2.6010 AU
Perihelion1.8491 AU
2.2251 AU
Eccentricity0.1690
3.32 yr (1,212 days)
323.78°
0° 17m 49.2s / day
Inclination4.5495°
249.34°
137.38°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions3.71 km (calculated)[3]
11.0942±0.0116 h[4]
0.24 (assumed)[3]
S [3]
13.871±0.002 (R)[4] · 14.0[1] · 14.19±0.33[5] · 14.32[3]

3771 Alexejtolstoj (provisional designation 1974 SB3) is a stony Flora asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 20 September 1974, by Russian–Ukrainian astronomer Lyudmila Zhuravleva at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj on the Crimean peninsula.[6] The asteroid was named after writer Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy.[2]

Orbit and classification

The S-type asteroid is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the main-belt. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.8–2.6 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,212 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] It was first identified as 1954 QF at Heidelberg Observatory in 1954. The body's observation arc begins at Nauchnyj with its official discovery observation made in 1974.[6]

Physical characteristics

A fragmentary rotational lightcurve was obtained from photometric observation made at the Palomar Transient Factory in California in December 2011. The lightcurve gave a provisional rotation period of 11.0942±0.0116 hours with a low brightness amplitude of 0.08 in magnitude (U=1).[4] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora, the largest member and namesake of its orbital family – and calculates a diameter of 3.7 kilometers.[3]

Naming

This minor planet was named after Soviet writer and public figure, Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1883–1945).[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 19 October 1994 (M.P.C. 24121).[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3771 Alexejtolstoj (1974 SB3)" (2017-06-06 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3771) Alexejtolstoj". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3771) Alexejtolstoj. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 319. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3766. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (3771) Alexejtolstoj". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  5. ^ Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  6. ^ a b "3771 Alexejtolstoj (1974 SB3)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  7. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 9 May 2016.