20488 Pic-du-Midi

20488 Pic-du-Midi, provisional designation 1999 OL, is a background asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 17 July 1999, by astronomers at Pises Observatory in southern France.[7] The asteroid was named for the Pic du Midi Observatory.[2]

20488 Pic-du-Midi
Discovery [1]
Discovered byPises Obs.
Discovery sitePises Obs.
Discovery date17 July 1999
Designations
(20488) Pic-du-Midi
Named after
Pic du Midi Observatory
(in the French Pyrenees) [2]
1999 OL · 1998 HD60
main-belt · (middle) [3]
background
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc19.28 yr (7,041 days)
Aphelion3.1496 AU
Perihelion2.3196 AU
2.7346 AU
Eccentricity0.1518
4.52 yr (1,652 days)
342.51°
0° 13m 4.8s / day
Inclination7.0346°
345.85°
354.85°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
6.64 km (calculated)[3]
7.894±0.199 km[4][5]
2.812±0.0004 h[6]
0.057 (assumed)[3]
0.059±0.013[4][5]
C (assumed) [3]
14.167±0.002 (R)[6] · 14.2[1][4] · 14.62[3]

    Orbit and classification

    Pic-du-Midi is a non-family from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.3–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,652 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 7° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The first precovery was taken by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak in 1997, extending the body's observation arc by more than 2 years prior to its official discovery observation at Pises.[7]

    Physical characteristics

    Rotation period

    In September 2013, a photometric lightcurve of Pic-du-Midi was obtained at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 2.812 hours with a brightness variation of 0.14 in magnitude (U=2).[6] For an asteroid of its size, Pic-du-Midi has a relatively fast spin rate, not significantly above the 2.2-hour threshold for the so-called fast rotators.

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Pic-du-Midi measures 7.894 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.059,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 6.64 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 12.62.[3]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named after the Pic du Midi Observatory located on the Pyrenees mountains in southern France. Founded by the Ramond Society in 1881, the observatory pioneered the study of the solar corona and cosmic rays and was one of the first to use high-resolution techniques.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 9 March 2001 (M.P.C. 42368).[8]

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 20488 Pic-du-Midi (1999 OL)" (2016-05-13 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
    2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(20488) Pic-du-Midi". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (20488) Pic-du-Midi. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 862. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_9624. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. "LCDB Data for (20488) Pic-du-Midi". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 3 March 2017.
    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.
    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 3 March 2017.
    6. Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
    7. "20488 Pic-du-Midi (1999 OL)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
    8. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 3 March 2017.

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