3951 Zichichi

3951 Zichichi
Discovery [1]
Discovered bySan Vittore Obs.
Discovery siteSan Vittore Obs.
Discovery date13 February 1986
Designations
(3951) Zichichi
Named after
Antonino Zichichi
(Italian nuclear physicist)[2]
1986 CK1 · 1938 UG
1976 JG9 · 1979 DR
1981 UJ12 · 1986 AU2
main-belt · Flora [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc40.56 yr (14,816 days)
Aphelion2.7469 AU
Perihelion1.9320 AU
2.3394 AU
Eccentricity0.1742
3.58 yr (1,307 days)
355.00°
0° 16m 31.44s / day
Inclination5.4133°
270.04°
151.72°
Known satellites1[4][5]
Physical characteristics
Dimensions6.720±0.213[6]
3.39423±0.00007 h[5]
0.325±0.050[6]
S [3]
12.8[1]

3951 Zichichi, provisional designation 1986 CK1, is a stony Florian asteroid and binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 12 February 1986, by staff members at the San Vittore Observatory near Bologna, Italy, and named after physicist Antonino Zichichi.[2][7]

Orbit and classification

Zichichi is a S-type asteroid and member of the Flora family, one of the largest collisional populations of stony asteroids in the main-belt. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.9–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 7 months (1,307 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

Physical characteristics

A minor-planet moon was discovered orbiting at a distance of 16 km in 2006, but not announced until 2011.[4][5]

Naming

This minor planet was named after Italian nuclear physicist Antonino Zichichi.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 20 May 1989 (M.P.C. 14634).[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3951 Zichichi (1986 CK1)" (2016-11-24 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3951) Zichichi". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3951) Zichichi. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 336–337. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3939. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b "LCDB Data for (3951) Zichichi". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  4. ^ a b Johnston, Robert (21 September 2014). "(3951) Zichichi". johnstonsarchive.net. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Antonini, P.; Behrend, R.; Colas, F.; Lecacheux, J.; Goncalves, R.; Starkey, D.; et al. (April 2011). "(3951) Zichichi". Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams. 2698 (2698): 1. Bibcode:2011CBET.2698....1A. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  6. ^ a b 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. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  7. ^ "3951 Zichichi (1986 CK1)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  8. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 June 2017.