3054 Strugatskia, provisional designation 1977 RE7, is a dark Themistian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 27 kilometers (17 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 11 September 1977, by Soviet–Russian astronomer Nikolai Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was named after the brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, two Russian science fiction authors.[1]

3054 Strugatskia
Discovery [1]
Discovered byN. Chernykh
Discovery siteCrimean Astrophysical Obs.
Discovery date11 September 1977
Designations
(3054) Strugatskia
Named after
Arkady and Boris Strugatsky[1]
(Russian sci-fi authors)
1977 RE7 · 1928 UC
1959 JQ · 1960 OE
1961 VG
main-belt[1][2] · (outer)
Themis[3]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc89.36 yr (32,640 d)
Aphelion3.7446 AU
Perihelion2.4399 AU
3.0923 AU
Eccentricity0.2110
5.44 yr (1,986 d)
176.03°
0° 10m 52.68s / day
Inclination2.0802°
146.26°
187.49°
Physical characteristics
26.921±0.205 km[4]
0.056±0.009[4]
11.7[2]

Orbit and classification

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Strugatskia is a Themistian asteroid that belongs to the Themis family (602),[3] a very large family of carbonaceous asteroids, named after 24 Themis.[5] It orbits the Sun in the outer asteroid belt at a distance of 2.4–3.7 AU once every 5 years and 5 months (1,986 days; semi-major axis of 3.09 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.21 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]

The asteroid was first observed as 1928 UC at Heidelberg Observatory in October 1928. The body's observation arc begins at Goethe Link Observatory in May 1959, more than 18 years prior to its official discovery observation at Nauchnij.[1]

Physical characteristics

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Although the asteroid's spectral type is unknown, its albedo indicates a carbonaceous composition, which agrees with C-type classification for the Themistian asteroids.[5]: 23 

Rotation period

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As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Strugatskia has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.[2]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Strugatskia measures 26.921 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.056, typical for carbonaceous asteroids.[4]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after the brothers Arkady Strugatsky (1925–1991) and Boris Strugatsky (1933–2012), two Russian science fiction authors who often worked in collaboration. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 2 July 1985 (M.P.C. 9771).[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "3054 Strugatskia (1977 RE7)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3054 Strugatskia (1977 RE7)" (2018-02-26 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Asteroid 3054 Strugatskia – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv:1209.5794. Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8.
  5. ^ a b Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 9780816532131.
  6. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
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