61 Danaë Explained

Minorplanet:yes
61 Danaë
Background:
  1. D6D6D6
Discovery Ref: 
Discovered:9 September 1860
Mpc Name:(61) Danaë
Alt Names:A917 SM
Pronounced:[1]
Adjective:Danaëan [2]
Mp Category:main-belt 
background 
Orbit Ref: 
Epoch:4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty:0
Observation Arc:151.67 yr (55,398 days)
Perihelion:2.4840 AU
Semimajor:2.9819 AU
Eccentricity:0.1670
Period:5.15 yr (1,881 days)
Mean Motion: / day
Inclination:18.212°
Asc Node:333.72°
Arg Peri:12.695°
Dimensions: km
km
km
km
km
km
Density: g/cm3
Rotation: h
h
Albedo:



Spectral Type:Tholen S 
SMASS S 
B–V 0.852 
U–B 0.402 
Abs Magnitude:7.68

61 Danaë is a stony (S-type) asteroid in the outer asteroid belt's background population, approximately 84 kilometer in diameter. It was discovered by French astronomer Hermann Goldschmidt on 9 September 1860, from his balcony in Paris, France. Goldschmidt was ill when asked to name the asteroid, and requested his fellow asteroid-hunter Robert Luther to name it instead. Luther chose to name it after Danaë, the mother of Perseus in Greek mythology. Danaë was the first asteroid to have a diacritical character in its official name.

The asteroid is orbiting the Sun with a period of 5.15 years and is rotating on its axis once every 11.45 hours. In 1985, a study of lightcurve data suggested that Danaë may have a moon. If so, the main body would be an ellipsoid measuring 85×, and the moon would orbit 101km (63miles) away, measuring 55×. The density of both would be .[3]

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Danae . https://web.archive.org/web/20200229231846/https://www.lexico.com/definition/danae . dead . 29 February 2020 . Lexico UK English Dictionary . Oxford University Press.
  2. Charles Dickens (1852) Household Words, p. 207
  3. Web site: Other reports of asteroid/TNO companions . 2022-09-13 . www.johnstonsarchive.net.