Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 10, 2026

322 Phaeo

322 Phaeo is an asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 70 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 27 November 1891, by French astronomer Alphonse Borrelly at the Marseille Observatory in southern France. The presumably metallic X-type asteroid is the principal body of the Phaeo family and has a rotation period of 17.6 hours. It was named for the Greek mythological figure Phaeo, one of the Hyades or nymphs. Several other asteroids were named for other of the Hyades – 193 Ambrosia, 158 Koronis, 217 Eudora, and 308 Polyxo.

Last revised
Jun 10, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
421 w
Citations
21
Source
322 Phaeo
Lightcurve-base 3D-model of 322 Phaeo.
Discovery1
Discovered byA. Borrelly
Discovery siteMarseille Obs.
Discovery date27 November 1891
Designations
Pronunciation/ˈf/2
Named after
Φαιώ Phaiō3
(Greek mythology)
main-belt14 · (middle)
Phaeo56
AdjectivesPhaeoian /fˈ.iən/
Orbital characteristics4
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc126.48 yr (46,198 d)
Aphelion3.4656 AU
Perihelion2.0960 AU
2.7808 AU
Eccentricity0.2463
4.64 yr (1,694 d)
110.49°
0° 12m 45s / day
Inclination8.0544°
252.36°
115.00°
Physical characteristics
69.855±0.320 km7
71.88 ± 4.32 km8
Mass(1.86 ± 0.04) × 1018 kg8
Mean density
9.56 ± 1.73 g/cm38
17.5845±0.0001 h9
0.089±0.0147
Tholen = X4
SMASS = X4
B–V = 0.7194
U–B = 0.2304
9.014

322 Phaeo is an asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 27 November 1891, by French astronomer Alphonse Borrelly at the Marseille Observatory in southern France.1 The presumably metallic X-type asteroid is the principal body of the Phaeo family and has a rotation period of 17.6 hours. It was named for the Greek mythological figure Phaeo, one of the Hyades or nymphs. Several other asteroids were named for other of the Hyades – 193 Ambrosia, 158 Koronis, 217 Eudora, and 308 Polyxo.10

References

References

  1. "322 Phaeo". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  2. As in "phæochrome". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(322) Phaeo". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 42. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_323. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  4. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 322 Phaeo" (2018-05-25 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  5. "Asteroid 322 Phaeo". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  6. 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.
  7. Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv:1406.6645. Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121.
  8. Carry, B. (December 2012), "Density of asteroids", Planetary and Space Science, 73 (1): 98–118, arXiv:1203.4336, Bibcode:2012P&SS...73...98C, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2012.03.009 See Table 1.
  9. "MinorPlanet.info: One Asteroid Information". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 12 July 2018. Search using Number = "322"
  10. Lutz D. Schmadel, Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, p. 42. Springer, ISBN 3-540-00238-3.
External links