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3169 Ostro

3169 Ostro, provisional designation 1981 LA, is a Hungaria family asteroid from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter.

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3169 Ostro
Ostro imaged by the 0.7-m telescope
at Heidelberg Observatory
Discovery1
Discovered byE. Bowell
Discovery siteAnderson Mesa Stn.
Discovery date4 June 1981
Designations
Named after
Steven J. Ostro
(planetary scientist)2
1981 LA
main-belt · (inner)1 · Hungaria34
Orbital characteristics1
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc63.43 yr (23,166 days)
Aphelion2.0184 AU
Perihelion1.7652 AU
1.8918 AU
Eccentricity0.0669
2.60 yr (950 days)
120.41°
0° 22m 43.68s / day
Inclination24.906°
96.376°
32.622°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions4.662±0.1185
5.27 km (derived)4
6.503±0.0036
0.5152 (derived)4
0.960±0.0235
TS (Tholen)1
Xe (SMASS)1
B–V = 0.7711
U–B = 0.3061
12.7314

3169 Ostro, provisional designation 1981 LA, is a Hungaria family asteroid from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter.

The asteroid was discovered on 4 June 1981, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at Lowell's Anderson Mesa Station in Flagstaff, Arizona,3 and named after planetary scientist Steven J. Ostro at JPL.2

Orbit and classification

Ostro is a member of the Hungaria family, which form the innermost dense concentration of asteroids in the Solar System. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.0 AU once every 2 years and 7 months (950 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.07 and an inclination of 25° with respect to the ecliptic.1

Physical characteristics

In the Tholen and SMASS taxonomy, Ostro is classified as a TS-type and Xe-type asteroid, respectively.1 It has also been characterized as an E-type asteroid.4

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Ostro measures 4.662 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an outstandingly high albedo of 0.960.5 The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.5152 and a diameter of 5.27 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 12.73.4

In May 2012, a rotational lightcurve of Ostro was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of 6.503 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.79 magnitude (U=3).6

Naming

This minor planet was named after American planetary scientist Steven J. Ostro at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology.2 The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 April 1987 (M.P.C. 11749).7

References

References

  1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3169 Ostro (1981 LA)" (2017-06-04 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3169) Ostro". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3169) Ostro. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 262. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3170. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. "3169 Ostro (1981 LA)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  4. "MinorPlanet.info: One Asteroid Information". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 15 June 2017. Search using Number = "3169"
  5. 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 15 June 2017.
  6. Warner, Brian D. (October 2012). "Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory: 2012 March - June". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 39 (4): 245–252. Bibcode:2012MPBu...39..245W. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  7. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
External links