7784 Watterson
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox planet
| minorplanet = yes
| name = 7784 Watterson
| background = #D6D6D6
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| discovered = 5 August 1994
| discoverer = T. B. Spahr
| discovery_site = Catalina Stn.
| mpc_name = (7784) Watterson
| alt_names = 1994 PL
| named_after = Bill Watterson
{{small|(cartoonist)}}
| mp_category = main-belt{{·}}Phocaea
| epoch = 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
| uncertainty = 0
| observation_arc = 63.56 yr (23,217 days)
| aphelion = 2.8025 AU
| perihelion = 1.7348 AU
| semimajor = 2.2686 AU
| eccentricity = 0.2353
| period = 3.42 yr (1,248 days)
| mean_anomaly = 280.49°
| inclination = 23.350°
| asc_node = 220.66°
| arg_peri = 107.04°
| dimensions = 5.53 km {{small|(calculated)}}
{{val|5.556|0.070}} km
| rotation = {{val|2.539|0.001}} h{{efn|name=lcdb-Skiff}}
| albedo = {{val|0.189|0.022}}
0.23 {{small|(assumed)}}
| spectral_type = S
| abs_magnitude = 13.5{{·}}13.7
}}
7784 Watterson, provisional designation {{mp|1994 PL}}, is a stony Phocaea asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Timothy Spahr at the U.S. Catalina Station, Arizona, on 5 August 1994. The asteroid was named after cartoonist Bill Watterson.
Orbit and classification
The S-type asteroid is a member of the Phocaea family ({{small|701}}), a group of asteroids with similar orbital characteristics. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.7–2.8 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,248 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.24 and an inclination of 23° with respect to the ecliptic.
Physical characteristics
In 2011, a photometric lightcurve analysis by astronomer Brian Skiff gave a rotation period of {{val|2.539}} hours with a relatively low brightness amplitude of 0.10 magnitude, indicative of a nearly spheroidal shape ({{small|U=3-}}).{{efn|name=lcdb-Skiff}}
According to the surveys carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), Watterson has an albedo of 0.19 and a diameter of 5.6 kilometers. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link agrees with WISE's observations and assumes a slightly higher albedo of 0.23 and calculates a diameter of 5.5 kilometers.
Naming
This minor planet is named after Bill Watterson (born 1958), cartoonist of the daily comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. Syndicated from 1985 to 1995, this strip is fondly remembered and treasured by the discoverer, and helped him stay awake and sane on long observing nights and during the trials and tribulations of graduate school.
Notes
{{notelist|refs=
{{efn|name=lcdb-Skiff|1=Skiff (2011) web: rotation period {{val|2.539|0.001}} hours with a brightness amplitude of {{val|0.10}} mag. CALL assigns a Quality Code of 3-, which denotes a slightly less than secure result within the precision given and no ambiguity. Summary figures for (7784) Watterson at [http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/generateOneAsteroidInfo.php?AstInfo=7784%7CWatterson Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)]}}
}}
References
{{reflist|30em|refs=
|type = 2017-05-02 last obs.
|title = JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 7784 Watterson (1994 PL)
|url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2007784
|publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
|access-date = 22 June 2017}}
|title = 7784 Watterson (1994 PL)
|work = Minor Planet Center
|url = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=7784
|access-date = 6 February 2016}}
|title = Asteroid 7784 Watterson – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0
|work = Small Bodies Data Ferret
|url = https://sbntools.psi.edu/ferret/SimpleSearch/results.action?targetName=7784+Watterson#Asteroid%207784%20WattersonEAR-A-VARGBDET-5-NESVORNYFAM-V3.0
|access-date = 27 October 2019}}
|title = LCDB Data for (7784) Watterson
|publisher = Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)
|url = http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/generateOneAsteroidInfo.php?AstInfo=7784%7CWatterson
|access-date = 6 February 2016}}
|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
|first13 = C. |last13 = Maleszewski
|date = November 2011
|title = NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results
|url = http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2011ApJ...741...90M
|journal = The Astrophysical Journal
|volume = 741
|issue = 2
|page = 25
|bibcode = 2011ApJ...741...90M
|doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90
|access-date= 6 February 2016|arxiv = 1109.6407 }}
|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
|url = http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2011ApJ...741...68M
|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
|access-date= 11 March 2017}}
}}
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/NumberedMPs005001.html Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (5001)-(10000)] – Minor Planet Center
- {{AstDys|7784}}
- {{JPL small body}}
{{Minor planets navigator | |number=7784 |(7785) 1994 QW}}
{{Small Solar System bodies}}
{{Authority control}}
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