762 Pulcova

762 Pulcova

762 Pulcova and satellite as seen with adaptive optics in 2000[1]
Discovery[2]
Discovered by	G. N. Neujmin
Discovery date	September 3, 1913
Designations
Alternate name(s)	1913 SQ
Minor planet category	Main belt
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch January 4, 2010 (2455200.5)
Aphelion	3.4744 AU (Q)
Perihelion	2.8343 AU (q)
Semi-major axis	3.1543 AU (a)
Eccentricity	0.10146
Orbital period	5.60 yr
Mean anomaly	287.18° (M)
Inclination	13.089°
Longitude of ascending node	305.79°
Argument of perihelion	189.06°
Satellites	S/2000 (762) 1[1]
Proper orbital elements
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	137.08 km[2]
Mass	1.40×1018 kg[3]
Mean density	0.90 g/cm3[3]
Sidereal rotation period	5.839 hr[2]
Albedo	0.0458[2]
Apparent magnitude	11.93 to 14.79[4]
Absolute magnitude (H)	8.28[2]

762 Pulcova is a main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by Grigoriy N. Neujmin in 1913,^[2] and is named after Pulkovo Observatory, near Saint Petersburg. Pulcova is 137 km in diameter,^[2] and is a C-type asteroid, which means that it is dark in colouring with a carbonate composition.

Satellite

On February 22, 2000,^[1] astronomers at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, discovered a small, 15-km moon (roughly a 10th the size of the primary)^[5] orbiting Pulcova at a distance of 800 km.^[6] The satellite is about 4 magnitudes fainter than the primary.^[6] It was one of the first asteroid moons to be identified.

Density

In the year 2000, Merline estimated Pulcova to have a density of 1.8 g/cm³, which would make it more dense than the binary asteroids 45 Eugenia and 90 Antiope.^[6] But estimates by Marchis in 2008 suggest a density of only 0.90 g/cm³,^[3] suggesting it may be a loosely-packed rubble pile, not a monolithic object.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "762 Pulcova". SwRI. 2000-02-22. http://www.boulder.swri.edu/merline/press/fig3.html. Retrieved 2009-10-20.  (AO image)
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 762 Pulcova (1913 SQ)". 2009-09-22 last obs. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=762. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Jim Baer (2008). "Recent Asteroid Mass Determinations". Personal Website. http://home.earthlink.net/~jimbaer1/astmass.txt. Retrieved 2008-11-28. 
4. ^ Magnitudes generated with JPL Horizons for the year 1950 through 2100
5. ^ Dr. William J. Merline and Maria Martinez (2000-10-26). "Astronomers Image Double Asteroid". SwRI Press Release. http://www.boulder.swri.edu/merline/press/release.txt. Retrieved 2009-10-20.  (mentions both 90 Antiope and 762 Pulcova)
6. ^ ^{a b c} W.J. Merline (SwRI), L.M. Close (ESO, U. Arizona), C. Dumas (JPL), J.C. Shelton (Mt. Wilson Obs.), F. Menard (CFHT), C.R. Chapman, D.C. Slater (SwRI) (2000-06-21). "Discovery of Companions to Asteroids 762 Pulcova and 90 Antiope by Direct Imaging". SwRI. http://www.boulder.swri.edu/merline/press/dps.abstract.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-21. 

External links

• Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris
• (762) Pulcova (Robert Johnston)