56 Melete

56 Melete
Three-dimensional model of 56 Melete created based on light-curve
Discovery
Discovered byHermann Mayer Salomon Goldschmidt
Discovery dateSeptember 9, 1857
Designations
(56) Melete
Pronunciation/ˈmɛlɪtiː/[1]
Named after
Melete
Main belt
AdjectivesMeletean /mɛlɪˈtiːən/
Orbital characteristics
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion480.683 Gm (3.213 AU)
Perihelion295.717 Gm (1.977 AU)
388.200 Gm (2.595 AU)
Eccentricity0.238
1526.839 d (4.18 a)
267.781°
Inclination8.072°
193.478°
103.648°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions113.2 km[2]
Mass(4.61 ± 0.00) × 1018 kg[3]
Mean density
6.00 ± 1.31[3] g/cm3
18.1 hr[2]
0.065[2][4]
P[2]
8.31[2]

56 Melete is a large and dark main belt asteroid. It is a rather unusual P-type asteroid, probably composed of organic rich silicates, carbon and anhydrous silicates, with possible internal water ice. The asteroid orbits the Sun with a period of 4.18 years.

Melete was discovered by Hermann Goldschmidt from his balcony in Paris, on September 9, 1857. Its orbit was computed by E. Schubert, who named it after Melete, the Muse of meditation in Greek mythology.[5] It was originally confused for 41 Daphne before it was confirmed not to be by its second sighting on August 27, 1871.[6] In 1861, the brightness of 56 Melete was shown to vary by German astronomer Friedrich Tietjen.[7]

Melete has been studied by radar.[8] Photometric observations of this asteroid at the Palmer Divide Observatory in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2007 gave a light curve with a period of 18.151 ± 0.002 hours and a brightness variation of 0.15 ± 0.02 in magnitude. This result is in agreement with a period of 18.1 hours independently reported in 1993 and 2007.[9]

To date, two stellar occultations by Melete have been observed successfully (in 1997 and again in 2002).[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  2. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 56 Melete" (2011-07-01 last obs). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  3. ^ a b Carry, B. (December 2012), "Density of asteroids", Planetary and Space Science, vol. 73, pp. 98–118, arXiv:1203.4336, Bibcode:2012P&SS...73...98C, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2012.03.009. See Table 1.
  4. ^ "Asteroid Data Sets". Archived from the original on 17 December 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2007.
  5. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 20. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  6. ^ Appletons' annual cyclopaedia and register of important events of the year: 1862. New York: D. Appleton & Company. 1863. p. 173.
  7. ^ Harwood, Margaret (December 1924), "Variations in the Light of Asteroids", Harvard College Observatory Circular, vol. 269, pp. 1–15, Bibcode:1924HarCi.269....1H.
  8. ^ "Radar-Detected Asteroids and Comets". NASA/JPL Asteroid Radar Research. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  9. ^ Warner, Brian D. (December 2007), "Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory - March–May 2007", The Minor Planet Bulletin, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 104–107, Bibcode:2007MPBu...34..104W.