4446 Carolyn

4446 Carolyn, provisional designation 1985 TT, is a dark Hildian asteroid from the outermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 15 October 1985, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at the Anderson Mesa Station of the Lowell Observatory near Flagstaff, Arizona, in the United States. The asteroid was named after American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker.[1] It has a longer than average rotation period of 40.9 hours.[3]

4446 Carolyn
Discovery [1]
Discovered byE. Bowell
Discovery siteAnderson Mesa Stn.
Discovery date15 October 1985
Designations
(4446) Carolyn
Named after
Carolyn Shoemaker [1]
(American astronomer)
1985 TT · 1977 RC6
main-belt · (outer) [2]
Hilda [1][3] · background [4]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc40.47 yr (14,780 d)
Aphelion5.1111 AU
Perihelion2.8696 AU
3.9903 AU
Eccentricity0.2809
7.97 yr (2,911 d)
76.416°
0° 7m 24.96s / day
Inclination7.2387°
189.03°
117.01°
Jupiter MOID0.6421 AU
TJupiter2.9720
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
28.645±0.290 km[5]
31.57±1.44 km[6]
32.03 km (calculated)[3]
40.92±0.01 h[7][lower-alpha 1]
0.057 (assumed)[3]
0.075±0.008[6]
0.086±0.026[5]
C (assumed)[3]
11.10[6] · 11.12±0.41[8]
11.2[2][3]

    Orbit and classification

    Carolyn is a member of the dynamical Hilda group of asteroids.[1][3] However, it is not a member of any asteroid family but an asteroid of the main-belt's background population when applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements.[4] It orbits the Sun in the outermost asteroid belt at a distance of 2.9–5.1 AU once every 8 years (2,911 days; semi-major axis of 3.99 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.28 and an inclination of 7° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]

    The body's observation arc begins with its first observations as 1977 RC6 at Crimea–Nauchnij in September 1977, or 8 years prior to its official discovery observation at Anderson Mesa.[1]

    Physical characteristics

    Carolyn is an assumed carbonaceous C-type asteroid.[3]

    Rotation period

    In July 2016, a first rotational lightcurve of Carolyn was obtained from photometric observations by astronomers Brian Warner, Robert Stephens and Dan Coley at the Center for Solar System Studies in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of 40.92 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.22 magnitude (U=3).[7][lower-alpha 1] While not being a slow rotator, its period is significantly longer than the typical 2 to 20 hours measured for most asteroids.

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Carolyn measures 28.645 and 31.57 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.086 and 0.075, respectively.[5][6]

    The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 32.03 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.2.[3]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named by the discoverer after American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker (born 1929), a prolific discoverer of minor planets and comets, such as Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9. Many of her discoveries were co-discoveries with her husband Gene Shoemaker. The official naming citation was prepared by David Levy and Jean Mueller, and published by the Minor Planet Center on 27 June 1991 (M.P.C. 18458).[9]

    Notes
    1. Lightcurve plot of (4446) Carolyn with a rotation period 40.92±0.02 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.22 mag. Quality code of 3. Data points: 770. Observers: B. D. Warner, R. D. Stephens and D. A. Coley. Summary figures at the LCDB and CS3
    gollark: C does not have compile-time detection of such mistakes, so that's tricky.
    gollark: Oh yes, just never make mistakes.
    gollark: It might not not not not be.
    gollark: Oh. Huh. Maybe it's something else.
    gollark: Oh, you mean it's actually on the call stack?

    References
    1. "4446 Carolyn (1985 TT)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
    2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4446 Carolyn (1985 TT)" (2018-02-26 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
    3. "LCDB Data for (4446) Carolyn". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 14 March 2018.
    4. "Asteroid 4446 Carolyn – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
    5. Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Bauer, J.; Masiero, J.; Spahr, T.; McMillan, R. S.; et al. (January 2012). "WISE/NEOWISE Observations of the Hilda Population: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 744 (2): 15. arXiv:1110.0283. Bibcode:2012ApJ...744..197G. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/197.
    6. Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. Retrieved 17 October 2019. (online, AcuA catalog p. 153)
    7. Warner, Brian D.; Stephens, Robert D.; Coley, Daniel A. (January 2017). "Lightcurve Analysis of Hilda Asteroids at the Center for Solar System Studies: 2016 June-September". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 44 (1): 36–41. Bibcode:2017MPBu...44...36W. ISSN 1052-8091.
    8. Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007.
    9. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 14 March 2018.

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