161 Athor

161 Athor
A three-dimensional model of 161 Athor based on its light curve.
Discovery[1]
Discovered byJames Craig Watson
Discovery siteDetroit Observatory
Discovery date19 April 1876
Designations
(161) Athor
Pronunciation/ˈæθər/,[2] /ˈɑːθər/[3]
Named after
Hathor
A876 HA; 1899 TA;
1961 PF; 1973 YN4
Main belt[4]
Orbital characteristics[4][5]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc116.50 yr (42551 d)
Aphelion2.70593 AU (404.801 Gm)
Perihelion2.05285 AU (307.102 Gm)
2.37939 AU (355.952 Gm)
Eccentricity0.137237
3.67 yr (1340.6 d)
348.807°
0° 16m 6.737s / day
Inclination9.05986°
18.6090°
2024-Jan-13
295.007°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions44.19±3.3 km[4]
Mean diameter[6]
47.0±0.2 km
circular fit[7]
7.280 h (0.3033 d)[4]
7.281 ± 0.001 hours[8]
7.288 ± 0.007 hours[9]
0.1980±0.033[4][6]
M[10]
9.15[4][11]

161 Athor is an M-type Main belt asteroid that was discovered by James Craig Watson on April 19, 1876, at the Detroit Observatory[1] and named after Hathor, an Egyptian fertility goddess. It is the namesake of a proposed Athor asteroid family, estimated to be ~3 billion years old.[12]

Photometric observations of the minor planet in 2010 gave a rotation period of 7.2798±0.0001 h with an amplitude of 0.19±0.02 in magnitude. This result is consistent with previous determinations.[13] An occultation by Athor was observed, on October 15, 2002, showing an estimated diameter of 47.0 kilometres (29.2 mi).[7] The spectra is similar to that of carbonaceous chondrites, with characteristics of ferric oxides and little or no hydrated minerals.[14]

  1. ^ a b "Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000)". IAU: Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  2. ^ Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  3. ^ "Hathor, Athor". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  4. ^ a b c d e f "161 Athor". JPL Small-Body Database. NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  5. ^ "(161) Athor". AstDyS. Italy: University of Pisa. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  6. ^ a b Tedesco; et al. (2004). "Supplemental IRAS Minor Planet Survey (SIMPS)". IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0. Planetary Data System. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  7. ^ a b Dunham & Herald (2008). "Asteroid Occultations". EAR-A-3-RDR-OCCULTATIONS-V6.0. Planetary Data System. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
  8. ^ Pilcher & Higgins (2008). "Period Determination for 161 Athor". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 35 (4): 147. Bibcode:2008MPBu...35..147P.
  9. ^ Debehogne & Zappala (1980). "Photoelectric lightcurves of the asteroids 139 Juewa and 161 Athor, obtained with the 50 CM photometric telescope at ESO, La Silla". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 42: 85–89. Bibcode:1980A&AS...42...85D.
  10. ^ Neese (2005). "Asteroid Taxonomy". EAR-A-5-DDR-TAXONOMY-V5.0. Planetary Data System. Archived from the original on August 5, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  11. ^ Tholen (2007). "Asteroid Absolute Magnitudes". EAR-A-5-DDR-ASTERMAG-V11.0. Planetary Data System. Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Delbo2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pilcher2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Busarev2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).