3099 Hergenrother, provisional designation 1940 GF, is an asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 15 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 3 April 1940, by Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä at Turku Observatory in Southwest Finland,[7] and named after American astronomer Carl Hergenrother in 1996.[2]

3099 Hergenrother
Discovery [1]
Discovered byY. Väisälä
Discovery siteTurku Obs.
Discovery date3 April 1940
Designations
(3099) Hergenrother
Named after
Carl Hergenrother
(American astronomer)[2]
1940 GF · 1969 EF1
1972 VV · 1979 KE
1980 NT · 1984 HB
1984 JG
main-belt · (outer)[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc76.96 yr (28,111 days)
Aphelion3.4563 AU
Perihelion2.3048 AU
2.8805 AU
Eccentricity0.1999
4.89 yr (1,786 days)
309.42°
0° 12m 5.76s / day
Inclination15.496°
31.100°
148.52°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions14.732±0.110 km[4][5]
29.21 km (calculated)[3]
24.266±0.007 h[6]
0.057 (assumed)[3]
0.224±0.016[4][5]
C[3]
11.4[1][3][4]

Orbit and classification

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Hergenrother orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.3–3.5 AU once every 4 years and 11 months (1,786 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.20 and an inclination of 15° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The body's observation arc begins 6 days after its official discovery observation at Turku.[7]

Physical characteristics

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Rotation period

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In January 2008, a rotational lightcurve of Hergenrother was obtained from photometric observations by French amateur astronomer Pierre Antonini. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 24.266 hours with a brightness variation of 0.28 magnitude (U=2).[6]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Hergenrother measures 14.73 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.224,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and consequently calculates a diameter of 29.21 kilometers, as the lower the albedo, the larger the body's diameter at a certain absolute magnitude.[3]

Naming

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This minor planet was named in honor of American astronomer Carl W. Hergenrother (born 1973). At Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, he has been a discoverer of minor planets with high inclinations during the Bigelow Sky Survey, precursor to the Catalina Sky Survey. The naming was proposed by MPC director Brian G. Marsden among others.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 3 May 1996 (M.P.C. 27124).[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3099 Hergenrother (1940 GF)" (2017-03-21 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3099) Hergenrother". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3099) Hergenrother. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 255. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3100. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (3099) Hergenrother". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90.
  5. ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (3099) Hergenrother". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  7. ^ a b "3099 Hergenrother (1940 GF)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  8. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
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