4962 Vecherka
{{Short description|Main-belt asteroid}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox planet
| minorplanet = yes
| name = 4962 Vecherka
| background = #D6D6D6
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| discoverer = T. Smirnova
| discovery_site = {{nowrap|Crimean Astrophysical Obs.}}
| discovered = 1 October 1973
| mpc_name = (4962) Vecherka
| alt_names = 1973 TP{{·}}1952 TF
{{mp|1969 TM|6}}{{·}}{{mp|1973 UG|3}}
{{mp|1986 WC|3}}
| pronounced =
| named_after = Vechernij Petersburg
{{small|(Russian newspaper)}}
| mp_category = main-belt{{·}}{{small|(middle)}}
Maria{{·}}background
| epoch = 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
| uncertainty = 0
| observation_arc = 64.61 yr (23,600 days)
| aphelion = 2.9857 AU
| perihelion = 2.2265 AU
| semimajor = 2.6061 AU
| eccentricity = 0.1457
| period = 4.21 yr (1,537 days)
| mean_anomaly = 170.48°
| mean_motion = {{Deg2DMS|0.2343|sup=ms}} / day
| inclination = 15.108°
| asc_node = 207.02°
| arg_peri = 141.66°
| dimensions = {{val|8.54|0.59}} km
{{val|9.62|2.43}} km
{{val|9.951|0.201}} km
10.06 km {{small|(calculated)}}
| rotation = {{val|336|48}} h
| albedo = 0.21 {{small|(assumed)}}
{{val|0.210|0.038}}
{{val|0.21|0.11}}
{{val|0.2102|0.0377}}
{{val|0.349|0.170}}
| spectral_type = S {{small|(assumed)}}
| abs_magnitude = {{val|11.94|0.27}}{{·}}12.10{{·}}12.3{{·}}12.67
}}
4962 Vecherka, provisional designation {{mp|1973 TP}}, is a Eunomian asteroid and slow rotator from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 October 1973, by Soviet astronomer Tamara Smirnova at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was named after Vechernij Petersburg, a newspaper that also publishes astronomical information.
Orbit and classification
When applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements, Vecherka has both been considered a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population (according to Nesvorný), and core member of the Maria family (according to Milani and Knežević).
It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 2.2–3.0 AU once every 4 years and 3 months (1,537 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 15° with respect to the ecliptic. The body's observation arc begins with its first observation as {{mp|1952 TF}} at Uccle Observatory in October 1952, or 21 years prior to its official discovery observation at Nauchnij.
Physical characteristics
Vecherka is an assumed stony S-type asteroid, which corresponds to the overall spectral type of the Maria family.{{rp|23}}
= Slow rotator =
In August 2015, a rotational lightcurve of Vecherka was obtained from photometric observations by a collaboration of Bulgarian astronomers. Lightcurve analysis gave a long rotation period of {{val|336|48}} hours with a brightness variation of 1.08 magnitude ({{small|U=2}}), indicating that the body's shape is irregular and elongated rather than spherical. This long period makes Vecherka a slow rotator, which ranks among the Top 200 slowest ones known to exists.
= Diameter and albedo =
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Vecherka measures between 8.54 and 9.951 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.210 and 0.349.
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.21 – derived from 15 Eunomia, the family's largest member and namesake – and calculates a diameter of 10.06 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 12.3.
Naming
Based on a proposal by the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy (ITA), this minor planet was named after Vechernij Petersburg, a popular evening newspaper from Saint Petersburg, Russia, that publishes astronomical information and articles popularizing astronomical knowledge on a regular basis. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 December 1997 ({{small|M.P.C. 31023}}).
References
{{reflist|30em|refs=
|type = 2017-05-23 last obs.
|title = JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4962 Vecherka (1973 TP)
|url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2004962
|publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
|access-date = 21 September 2017}}
|last = Schmadel | first = Lutz D.
|title = Dictionary of Minor Planet Names |publisher = Springer Berlin Heidelberg
|page = 427
|date = 2007
|isbn = 978-3-540-00238-3
|doi = 10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4840 |chapter = (4962) Vecherka }}
|title = 4962 Vecherka (1973 TP)
|work = Minor Planet Center
|url = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=4962
|access-date = 21 September 2017}}
|title = MPC/MPO/MPS Archive
|work = Minor Planet Center
|url = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html
|access-date = 21 September 2017}}
|display-authors = 6
|first1 = Joseph R. |last1 = Masiero
|first2 = A. K. |last2 = Mainzer
|first3 = T. |last3 = Grav
|first4 = J. M. |last4 = Bauer
|first5 = R. M. |last5 = Cutri
|first6 = J. |last6 = Dailey
|first7 = P. R. M. |last7 = Eisenhardt
|first8 = R. S. |last8 = McMillan
|first9 = T. B. |last9 = Spahr
|first10 = M. F. |last10 = Skrutskie
|first11 = D. |last11 = Tholen
|first12 = R. G. |last12 = Walker
|first13 = E. L. |last13 = Wright
|first14 = E. |last14 = DeBaun
|first15 = D. |last15 = Elsbury
|first16 = T. IV |last16 = Gautier
|first17 = S. |last17 = Gomillion
|first18 = A. |last18 = Wilkins
|date = November 2011
|title = Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters
|journal = The Astrophysical Journal
|volume = 741
|issue = 2
|page = 20
|bibcode = 2011ApJ...741...68M
|doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68
|arxiv = 1109.4096
}}
|title = Small Bodies Data Ferret
|work = Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0
|url = https://sbntools.psi.edu/ferret/PropertySearch/familyForm.action
|access-date = 21 September 2017
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170802210005/http://sbntools.psi.edu/ferret/PropertySearch/familyForm.action
|archive-date = 2 August 2017
}}
|title = Asteroid 4962 Vecherka – Proper Elements
|publisher = AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site
|url = https://newton.spacedys.com/astdys/index.php?pc=1.1.6&n=4962
|access-date= 29 October 2019}}
|first1 = D. |last1 = Nesvorný
|first2 = M. |last2 = Broz
|first3 = V. |last3 = Carruba
|date = December 2014
|chapter = Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families
|title = Asteroids IV
|pages = 297–321
|bibcode = 2015aste.book..297N
|doi = 10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016
|arxiv = 1502.01628
|isbn = 978-0-8165-3213-1
}}
|title = LCDB Data for (4962) Vecherka
|publisher = Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)
|url = http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/generateOneAsteroidInfo.php?AstInfo=4962%7CVecherka
|access-date = 21 September 2017}}
|display-authors = 6
|first1 = Joseph R. |last1 = Masiero
|first2 = A. K. |last2 = Mainzer
|first3 = T. |last3 = Grav
|first4 = J. M. |last4 = Bauer
|first5 = R. M. |last5 = Cutri
|first6 = C. |last6 = Nugent
|first7 = M. S. |last7 = Cabrera
|date = November 2012
|title = Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids
|journal = The Astrophysical Journal Letters
|volume = 759
|issue = 1
|page = 5
|bibcode = 2012ApJ...759L...8M
|doi = 10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8
|arxiv = 1209.5794
}}
|display-authors = 6
|first1 = C. R. |last1 = Nugent
|first2 = A. |last2 = Mainzer
|first3 = J. |last3 = Bauer
|first4 = R. M. |last4 = Cutri
|first5 = E. A. |last5 = Kramer
|first6 = T. |last6 = Grav
|first7 = J. |last7 = Masiero
|first8 = S. |last8 = Sonnett
|first9 = E. L. |last9 = Wright
|date = September 2016
|title = NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year Two: Asteroid Diameters and Albedos
|journal = The Astronomical Journal
|volume = 152
|issue = 3
|page = 12
|bibcode = 2016AJ....152...63N
|doi = 10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/63
|arxiv = 1606.08923
|doi-access = free }}
|display-authors = 6
|first1 = A. |last1 = Mainzer
|first2 = T. |last2 = Grav
|first3 = J. |last3 = Masiero
|first4 = E. |last4 = Hand
|first5 = J. |last5 = Bauer
|first6 = D. |last6 = Tholen
|first7 = R. S. |last7 = McMillan
|first8 = T. |last8 = Spahr
|first9 = R. M. |last9 = Cutri
|first10 = E. |last10 = Wright
|first11 = J. |last11 = Watkins
|first12 = W. |last12 = Mo
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|date = November 2011
|title = NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results
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|volume = 741
|issue = 2
|page = 25
|bibcode = 2011ApJ...741...90M
|doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90
|arxiv = 1109.6407}}
|first1 = Dimitar |last1 = Tomov
|first2 = Alexander |last2 = Kurtenkov
|first3 = Mihail |last3 = Enimanev
|first4 = Deana |last4 = Teneva
|date = October 2016
|title = Asteroid 4962 Vecherka: A High-Amplitude Slow Rotator
|journal = The Minor Planet Bulletin
|volume = 43
|issue = 4
|pages = 321–322
|issn = 1052-8091
|bibcode = 2016MPBu...43..321T
}}
|display-authors = 6
|first1 = Peter |last1 = Veres
|first2 = Robert |last2 = Jedicke
|first3 = Alan |last3 = Fitzsimmons
|first4 = Larry |last4 = Denneau
|first5 = Mikael |last5 = Granvik
|first6 = Bryce |last6 = Bolin
|first7 = Serge |last7 = Chastel
|first8 = Richard J. |last8 = Wainscoat
|first9 = William S. |last9 = Burgett
|first10 = Kenneth C. |last10 = Chambers
|first11 = Heather |last11 = Flewelling
|first12 = Nick |last12 = Kaiser
|first13 = Eugen A. |last13 = Magnier
|first14 = Jeff S. |last14 = Morgan
|first15 = Paul A. |last15 = Price
|first16 = John L. |last16 = Tonry
|first17 = Christopher |last17 = Waters
|date = November 2015
|title = Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 – Preliminary results
|journal = Icarus
|volume = 261
|pages = 34–47
|bibcode = 2015Icar..261...34V
|doi = 10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007
|arxiv = 1506.00762
}}
}}
External links
- [http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/lcdbsummaryquery.php Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)], query form ([http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html info] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216050541/http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html |date=16 December 2017 }})
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=aeAg1X7afOoC&pg Dictionary of Minor Planet Names], Google books
- [http://obswww.unige.ch/~behrend/page_cou.html Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR] – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- [https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/NumberedMPs000001.html Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000)] – Minor Planet Center
- {{AstDys|4962}}
- {{JPL small body}}
{{Minor planets navigator |4961 Timherder |number=4962 |4963 Kanroku}}
{{Small Solar System bodies}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vecherka}}