8549 Alcide

8549 Alcide, provisional designation 1994 FS, is a stony Nysa asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 4.2 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 30 March 1994, by a group of amateur astronomers at the Farra d'Isonzo Observatory, Italy, near the border to Slovenia.[8] It was named for Alcide Bittesini, father of co-discoverer Luciano Bittesini.[2]

8549 Alcide
Discovery [1]
Discovered byFarra d'Isonzo Obs.
(inc. Luciano Bittesini)
Discovery siteFarra d'Isonzo Obs.
Discovery date30 March 1994
Designations
(8549) Alcide
Named after
Alcide Bittesini
(father of co-discoverer)[2]
1994 FS
main-belt · Nysa [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc23.31 yr (8,514 days)
Aphelion2.8912 AU
Perihelion1.9828 AU
2.4370 AU
Eccentricity0.1864
3.80 yr (1,390 days)
318.71°
0° 15m 32.76s / day
Inclination1.8790°
205.61°
64.719°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions4.19 km (calculated)[3]
4.341±0.076 km[4][5]
3 h[6]
0.196±0.012[4][5]
0.21 (assumed)[3]
S [3]
14.2[1][3][4] · 14.3±0.4 (R)[6] · 14.73±0.25[7]

    Orbit and classification

    Alcide is a member of the stony subgroup of the Nysa family, one of the smaller families in the main-belt, named after its namesake, 44 Nysa. The body orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 10 months (1,390 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.19 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] Precoveries were taken at Palomar and Steward Observatory (Kitt Peak) just weeks and days prior to the asteroid's official discovery observation at Farra d'Isonzo.[8]

    Physical characteristics

    Lightcurves

    A rotational lightcurve of Alcide was obtained from photometric observations made by astronomer David Polishook at the ground-based Wise Observatory, Israel, in November 2007. The lightcurve gave a rotation period of 3 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.2 magnitude (U=2-).[6]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Alcide measures 4.3 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.195,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.21 and calculates a diameter of 4.2 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 14.2.[3]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named for Italian high-school teacher of natural sciences, Alcide Bittesini (1913–1981). He was the father of amateur astronomer Luciano Bittesini, who co-discovered the asteroid with his amateur colleagues at the Farra d'Isonzo Observatory in Italy.[2]

    At the age of 9, his father fostered his interest in astronomy, when they observed a comet with a homespun telescope made of a pair of glasses, a tin can and a microscope eyepiece.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 2 February 1999 (M.P.C. 33791).[9]

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    gollark: And also not a heavdrone.
    gollark: Essentially.
    gollark: You just don't comprehend the extent of my genius.
    gollark: The backend works perfectly.

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 8549 Alcide (1994 FS)" (2017-06-05 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
    2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(8549) Alcide". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (8549) Alcide. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 654–655. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_7079. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. "LCDB Data for (8549) Alcide". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 7 May 2016.
    4. Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
    5. Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
    6. Polishook, D.; Brosch, N. (February 2009). "Photometry and spin rate distribution of small-sized main belt asteroids". Icarus. 199 (2): 319–332. arXiv:0811.1223. Bibcode:2009Icar..199..319P. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2008.10.020. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
    7. 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. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
    8. "8549 Alcide (1994 FS)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
    9. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 May 2016.

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