1721 Wells

1721 Wells
Discovery [1]
Discovered by	Indiana University; (Indiana Asteroid Program)
Discovery site	Goethe Link Obs.
Discovery date	3 October 1953
Designations
MPC designation	(1721) Wells
Named after	Herman Wells; (Indiana University) [2]
Alternative designations	1953 TD3 · 1944 DA; 1958 QE · A905 CG
Minor planet category	main-belt · (outer)
Orbital characteristics [1]
	Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
	Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	112.13 yr (40,957 days)
Aphelion	3.2969 AU
Perihelion	3.0049 AU
Semi-major axis	3.1509 AU
Eccentricity	0.0463
Orbital period	5.59 yr (2,043 days)
Mean anomaly	101.64°
Inclination	16.107°
Longitude of ascending node	317.29°
Argument of perihelion	137.52°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	43.576±0.166 km[3]
Geometric albedo	0.045±0.005[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)	10.9[1]

1721 Wells, provisional designation 1953 TD₃, is a dark asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 44 kilometers in diameter.

It was discovered on 3 October 1953, by IU's Indiana Asteroid Program at Goethe Link Observatory near Brooklyn, Indiana, United States.[4] It was named after UI's president and chancellor Herman B Wells.[2]

Orbit and classification

Wells orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 3.0–3.3 AU once every 5 years and 7 months (2,043 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.05 and an inclination of 16° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

First identified as A905 CG at Heidelberg in 1905, Well's first used observation was taken at Turku in 1944, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 9 years prior to its official discovery observation.[4]

Physical characteristics

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Wells measures 43.576 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.045.[3] It has an absolute magnitude of 10.9.[1] As of 2017, Well's spectral type, rotation period and shape remain unknown.

Naming

This minor planet was named in honor of Herman B Wells (1902–2000), chancellor and president and of Indiana University, who has transformed Indiana University from a provincial college into a world-renowned institution of higher learning. During this time, Wells also fostered higher education nationally and internationally.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 15 June 1973 (M.P.C. 3508).[5]

gollark: I don't see any reason it would be physically impossible or something, but it would be nontrivial.

gollark: Not with existing technology. Maybe at some point.

gollark: Especially since I think legally they'd have to pay for/raise it and stuff.

gollark: I don't see a significant reason they should be obligated to have the child for you.

gollark: Analogously, I would say you should probably not be required to have someone grafted to your circulatory system and stuff for 9 months if this would keep them from an otherwise lethal disease or something. You maybe *should* morally, but this is a different thing (and I don't think that really applies in the fetus case, as it isn't much of a "person").

References

"JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1721 Wells (1953 TD3)" (2017-03-30 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1721) Wells". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1721) Wells. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 137. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1722. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv:1406.6645. Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
"1721 Wells (1953 TD3)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
Schmadel, Lutz D. (2009). "Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4. ISBN 978-3-642-01964-7.

External links

Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info)
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
1721 Wells at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
1721 Wells at the JPL Small-Body Database
- Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters

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[jpldata-1] "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1721 Wells (1953 TD3)" (2017-03-30 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

[springer-2] Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1721) Wells". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1721) Wells. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 137. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1722. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.

[Masiero-2014-3] Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv:1406.6645. Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121. Retrieved 22 December 2016.

[MPC-Wells-4] "1721 Wells (1953 TD3)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 22 December 2016.

[DoMP-Circular-dates-5] Schmadel, Lutz D. (2009). "Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4. ISBN 978-3-642-01964-7.