122 Gerda

122 Gerda
3D convex shape model of 122 Gerda
Discovery
Discovered byChristian Heinrich Friedrich Peters
Discovery date31 July 1872
Designations
(122) Gerda
Pronunciation/ˈɡɜːrdə/[1]
A872 OA; 1948 TQ1
Main belt
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc143.71 yr (52491 d)
Aphelion3.32884 AU (497.987 Gm)
Perihelion3.11932 AU (466.644 Gm)
3.22408 AU (482.316 Gm)
Eccentricity0.032493
5.79 yr (2114.5 d)
16.59 km/s
163.616°
0° 10m 12.911s / day
Inclination1.64006°
178.139°
321.617°
Earth MOID2.13107 AU (318.804 Gm)
Jupiter MOID1.66324 AU (248.817 Gm)
TJupiter3.187
Physical characteristics
Dimensions81.69±1.9 km
Mass5.7×1017 kg
Equatorial surface gravity
0.0228 m/s2
Equatorial escape velocity
0.0432 km/s
10.685 h (0.4452 d)[2]
10.687 ± 0.001 h[3]
0.1883±0.009
Temperature~155 K
S[4]
7.87

122 Gerda is a fairly large outer main-belt asteroid that was discovered by German-American astronomer C. H. F. Peters on July 31, 1872, and named after Gerðr, the wife of the god Freyr in Norse mythology. Based upon its spectrum, this is classified as an S-type asteroid.[4] It is listed as a member of the Hecuba group of asteroids that orbit near the 2:1 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter.[5]

Photometric observations of this asteroid in 2007 were used to produce a light curve that showed that Gerda rotates every 10.687 ± 0.001 hours and varied in brightness by 0.16 in magnitude.[3] In 2009, observations at the Organ Mesa Observatory in Las Cruces, New Mexico generated a light curve with a period of 10.712 ± 0.01 hours with a brightness variation of 0.11 ± 0.01 magnitudes. This is compatible with previous studies.[6]

  1. ^ Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference JPL was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Buchheim2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Devogèle2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference McDonald1948 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pilcher2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).