2278 Götz, provisional designation 1953 GE, is a dark background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt's background population, approximately 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 7 April 1953, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany.[1] The F/C-type asteroid was named after astronomer Paul Götz.[2]
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | K. Reinmuth |
| Discovery site | Heidelberg Obs. |
| Discovery date | 7 April 1953 |
| Designations | |
| (2278) Götz | |
Named after | Paul Götz (German astronomer)[2] |
| 1953 GE · 1953 GR1 1976 GE2 · 1976 JG | |
| main-belt[1][3] · (inner) background [4][5] | |
| Orbital characteristics [3] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 65.12 yr (23,784 d) |
| Aphelion | 2.8190 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.0867 AU |
| 2.4528 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1493 |
| 3.84 yr (1,403 d) | |
| 284.69° | |
| 0° 15m 23.76s / day | |
| Inclination | 4.2036° |
| 53.419° | |
| 207.18° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 11.769±0.057 km[6] | |
| 0.039±0.009[6] | |
| Tholen = FC [3] B–V = 0.634[3] U–B = 0.229[3] | |
| 13.5[1][3] | |
Orbit and classification
editGötz is non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population (formerly being classified as a member of the Nysa family by Zappala).[4][5] It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.1–2.8 AU once every 3 years and 10 months (1,403 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.[3]
The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Heidelberg. Simultaneously, the asteroid was also observed at the Almaty Observatory in Kazakhstan (210).[1]
Naming
editThis minor planet was named in memory of Paul Götz (1883–1962), a German astronomer and discoverer of minor planets, who was the first assistant of Max Wolf at Heidelberg in the early 1900s, using the observatory's Bruce telescope and 0.15-meter astrograph.[2] The official naming citation was proposed and prepared by G. Klare and L. D. Schmadel and was published by the Minor Planet Center on 27 June 1991 (M.P.C. 18447).[2][7]
Physical characteristics
editIn the Tholen classification, the asteroid has an ambiguous spectral type, closest to the F-type and somewhat similar to the carbonaceous C-type asteroid.[3]
Diameter and albedo
editAccording to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Götz measures 11.769 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.039.[6]
Rotation period
editAs of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Götz has been obtained from photometric observations since its discovery in 1953. The asteroid's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.[3][8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "2278 Gotz (1953 GE)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ a b c d Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(2278) Götz". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2278) Götz. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 185. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2279. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2278 Gotz (1953 GE)" (2018-05-20 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Asteroid (2278) Gotz – Proper elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Small Bodies Data Ferret". Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ 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 13 September 2018.
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ "LCDB Data for (2278) Götz". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 28 September 2017.
External links
edit- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
- 2278 Götz at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- 2278 Götz at the JPL Small-Body Database
