238 Hypatia

238 Hypatia
3D model based on lightcurve data
Discovery
Discovered byViktor Knorre
Discovery date1 July 1884
Designations
(238) Hypatia
Pronunciation/hɪˈpeɪʃiə/[1]
Named after
Hypatia
A884 NA, 1947 HA
Main belt
AdjectivesHypatian
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc124.07 yr (45318 d)
Aphelion3.1652 AU (473.51 Gm)
Perihelion2.6514 AU (396.64 Gm)
2.9083 AU (435.08 Gm)
Eccentricity0.088335
4.96 yr (1811.5 d)
17.47 km/s
170.00°
0° 11m 55.392s / day
Inclination12.413°
183.89°
210.750°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions148.49±3.6 km[2]
146.13 ± 2.66 km[3]
Mass(4.90 ± 1.70) × 1018 kg[3]
Mean density
2.99 ± 1.05 g/cm3[3]
8.8749 h (0.36979 d)
0.0428±0.002
C
8.18

238 Hypatia is a large main-belt asteroid that was discovered by Russian astronomer Viktor Knorre on July 1, 1884, in Berlin. It was the third of his four asteroid discoveries. The name was given in honour of philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria. Based upon the spectrum, it is classified as a C-type asteroid[4] and is probably composed of primitive carbonaceous material. Like many asteroids of this type, its surface is very dark in colour.

Orbit of Hypatia (blue ring)

Photometric observations of this asteroid at the European Southern Observatory in 1981 gave a light curve with a period of 8.9 ± 0.1 hours and a brightness variation of 0.12 in magnitude.[5] Stellar occultation events were observed for this asteroid during 2001 and 2005. The resulting chords provided cross-section diameter estimates of 146.5 and 145.3 km, respectively.[6]

  1. ^ "Hypatia". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference JPL was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Carry2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference aas128_525 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Schober1983 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Shevchenko_Tedesco_2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).