18 Melpomene

Melpomene (minor planet designation: 18 Melpomene) is a large, bright main-belt asteroid that was discovered by J. R. Hind on June 24, 1852,[10] and named after Melpomenē, the Muse of tragedy in Greek mythology. It is classified as an S-type asteroid and is composed of silicates and metals.

18 Melpomene
Three-dimensional model of 18 Melpomene created using light-curve inversions
Discovery
Discovered byJohn Russell Hind
Discovery dateJune 24, 1852
Designations
(18) Melpomene
Pronunciation/mɛlˈpɒmɪniː/[1]
Named after
Melpomenē
Main belt
AdjectivesMelpomenean /mɛlpɒmɪˈniːən/[2]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch October 22, 2004 (JD 2453300.5)
Aphelion418.414 Gm (2.797 AU)
Perihelion268.472 Gm (1.795 AU)
343.443 Gm (2.296 AU)
Eccentricity0.218
1270.552 d (3.48 a)
205.245°
Inclination10.126°
150.547°
227.975°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions170 × 155 × 129 km[4]
(150×125 km)[5]
(150×170 km)[6]
140.6 ± 2.8 km (IRAS)[3]
Mass3.0×1018 kg[4]
Mean density
1.69±0.66 g/cm3[4]
0.482 21 d (11.57 h)[3][7]
0.223[3][8]
S[3]
7.5[9] to 12.0
6.51[3]
0.23" to 0.059"

    Melpomene occulted the star SAO 114159 on December 11, 1978. A possible Melpomenean satellite with a diameter at least 37 km was detected. The satellite candidate received a provisional designation S/1978 (18) 1.[11] In 1988 a search for satellites or dust orbiting this asteroid was performed using the UH88 telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories, but the effort came up empty.[12] Melpomene was observed with the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993. It was able to resolve the asteroid's slightly elongated shape, but no satellites were detected.[5]

    Melpomene has been studied by radar.[13]

    References
    1. Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
    2. E.g. Tim Shephard (2014) Echoing Helicon
    3. Yeomans, Donald K., "18 Melpomene", JPL Small-Body Database Browser, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, retrieved 7 April 2013.
    4. Jim Baer (2008). "Recent Asteroid Mass Determinations". Personal Website. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
    5. Storrs, Alex; Weiss; Zellner; Burlsen; et al. (1999). "Imaging Observations of Asteroids with Hubble Space Telescope" (PDF). Icarus. 137 (2): 260–268. Bibcode:1999Icar..137..260S. doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6047. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
    6. Storrs, Alex; Dunne; Conan; Mugnier; et al. (2005). "A closer look at main belt asteroids 1: WF/PC images" (PDF). Icarus. 173 (2): 409–416. Bibcode:2005Icar..173..409S. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
    7. "Lightcurves and Map Data on Numbered Asteroids N° 1 TO 52225". AstroSurf. Archived from the original on 27 November 2005. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
    8. "Asteroid Data Archive". Planetary Science Institute. Archived from the original on 23 June 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
    9. Menzel, Donald H.; Pasachoff, Jay M. (1983). A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. p. 391. ISBN 0-395-34835-8.
    10. "Numbered Minor Planets 1–5000", Discovery Circumstances, IAU Minor Planet center, retrieved 7 April 2013.
    11. IAUC 3315: 1978 (18) 1; WZ Sge, Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, retrieved 5 July 2011.
    12. Gradie, J.; Flynn, L. (March 1988), "A Search for Satellites and Dust Belts Around Asteroids: Negative Results", Abstracts of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 19, pp. 405–406, Bibcode:1988LPI....19..405G.
    13. Radar-Detected Asteroids and Comets, NASA/JPL Asteroid Radar Research, retrieved 30 October 2011.

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