808 Merxia

808 Merxia is a minor planet orbiting the Sun. It forms the namesake for the Merxia family of asteroids that share common orbital elements and physical properties.

808 Merxia
Lightcurve-based 3D-model of Merxia
Discovery
Discovered byLuigi Carnera
Discovery siteHeidelberg Observatory
Discovery date11 October 1901
Designations
(808) Merxia
1901 GY
  • main belt
  • Merxia
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc114.45 yr (41803 d)
Aphelion3.0921 AU (462.57 Gm)
Perihelion2.3990 AU (358.89 Gm)
2.7456 AU (410.74 Gm)
Eccentricity0.12621
4.55 yr (1661.7 d)
11.0596°
0° 12m 59.94s / day
Inclination4.7240°
181.066°
274.396°
Earth MOID1.41983 AU (212.404 Gm)
Jupiter MOID2.09197 AU (312.954 Gm)
TJupiter3.331
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
16.245±1.15 km
30.631 h (1.2763 d)[1]
0.2207±0.035[1]
S-type asteroid[1]
9.8[1]

    The spectrum of this object indicates that it is an S-type asteroid with both low and high calcium forms of pyroxene on the surface, along with less than 20% olivine. The high-calcium form of pyroxene forms 40% or more of the total pyroxene present, indicating a history of igneous rock deposits. This suggests that the asteroid underwent differentiation by melting, creating a surface of basalt rock.[2]

    808 Merxia is the namesake of the Merxia family of asteroids that share similar orbital elements and physical properties. The members of this family, including 808 Merxia, most likely formed from the breakup of a basalt object, which in turn was spawned from a larger parent body that had previously undergone igneous differentiation. Other members of this family include 1662 Hoffmann and 2042 Sitarski.[2]

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 808 Merxia". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
    2. Sunshine, Jessica M.; et al. (August 2004), "High-calcium pyroxene as an indicator of igneous differentiation in asteroids and meteorites", Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 39 (8), pp. 1343–1357, Bibcode:2004M&PS...39.1343S, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2004.tb00950.x.


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