233 Asterope

233 Asterope
3D model based on lightcurve data
Discovery
Discovered byA. Borrelly
Discovery siteMarseille Obs.
Discovery date11 May 1883
Designations
(233) Asterope
Pronunciation/əˈstɛrəp/[1]
Named after
Sterope
A883 JA
Main belt
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc118.65 yr (43337 d)
Aphelion2.9271 AU (437.89 Gm)
Perihelion2.3927 AU (357.94 Gm)
2.6599 AU (397.92 Gm)
Eccentricity0.10044
4.34 yr (1584.5 d)
138.789°
0° 13m 37.92s / day
Inclination7.6832°
222.017°
125.128°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions102.78±7.9 km
19.70 h (0.821 d)
0.0870±0.015
Tholen = T[2]
SMASS = K[2]
8.21[2]

233 Asterope is a large main-belt asteroid that was discovered on 11 May 1883, by French astronomer Alphonse Borrelly at Marseille Observatory in Marseille, France. The asteroid was named after Asterope (or Sterope), one of the Pleiades.

This asteroid is orbiting the Sun with a semimajor axis of 2.66 AU, a period of 4.34 years, and an eccentricity of 0.10. The orbital plane is inclined by 7.68° to the plane of the ecliptic. It is a rare T-type asteroid[3] and has a relatively dark surface. The spectrum of 233 Asterope bears a resemblance to Troilite, a sulfurous iron mineral found in most iron meteorites.[4]

Photometric observations during 1995 show a rotation period of 19.743 hours.[3] Measurements made with the IRAS observatory give a diameter of 109.56 ± 5.04 km and a geometric albedo of 0.08 ± 0.01. By comparison, the MIPS photometer on the Spitzer Space Telescope gives a diameter of 97.54 ± 10.32 km and a geometric albedo of 0.10 ± 0.01.[5]

  1. ^ Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference aas128_525 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference met27_3_207 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2012arXiv1204 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).