 Orbital diagram | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Johann Palisa |
| Discovery date | 25 October 1888 |
| Designations | |
| (279) Thule | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈθjuːliː/[1] |
| A888 UA, 1920 GA 1923 RA, 1927 EC 1954 FF[2] | |
| Asteroid belt (Thule) | |
| Adjectives | Thulean /ˈθjuːliən/[3] |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 125.34 yr (45780 d) |
| Aphelion | 4.4617880 AU (667.47398 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 4.2367660 AU (633.81117 Gm) |
| 4.3492770 AU (650.64258 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.025869 |
| 9.07 yr (3313.0 d) | |
| 62.75874° | |
| 0° 6m 31.184s / day | |
| Inclination | 2.323774° |
| 72.46791° | |
| 42.36797° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 126.59±3.7 km (IRAS)[2] |
| 23.896 h (0.9957 d)[2] | |
| 0.0412±0.003[2] | |
| Temperature | 133 K |
| B−V=0.75[2] U−B=0.32[2] D (Tholen)[2] X (SMASSII)[2] | |
| 8.57[2] | |
279 Thule is a large asteroid from the outer asteroid belt. It is classified as a D-type asteroid and is probably composed of organic-rich silicates, carbon and anhydrous silicates. Thule was the first asteroid discovered with a semi-major axis greater than 4 AU. It was discovered by Johann Palisa on 25 October 1888 in Vienna and was named after the ultimate northern land of Thule.
- ^ "Thule". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "279 Thule". JPL Small-Body Database. NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ "Thulean". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)