(6478) Gault
Asteroid (6478) Gault |
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Properties of the orbit ( animation ) | |
Orbit type | Inner main belt asteroid |
Asteroid family | Phocaea family |
Major semi-axis | 2.3052 AU |
eccentricity | 0.1936 |
Perihelion - aphelion | 1.8589 AU - 2.7514 AU |
Inclination of the orbit plane | 22.8113 ° |
Length of the ascending node | 183.5577 ° |
Argument of the periapsis | 83.2677 ° |
Time of passage of the perihelion | January 2, 2020 |
Sidereal period | 3.50 a |
Mean orbital velocity | 19.43 km / s |
Physical Properties | |
Absolute brightness | 14.4 mag |
history | |
Explorer | Carolyn Shoemaker and Eugene Shoemaker |
Date of discovery | May 12, 1988 |
Another name | 1988 JC 1 , 1995 KC 1 |
Source: Unless otherwise stated, the data comes from JPL Small-Body Database Browser . The affiliation to an asteroid family is automatically determined from the AstDyS-2 database . Please also note the note on asteroid items. |
(6478) Gault (provisional name 1988 JC 1 ) is an asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt . The asteroid was named on July 28, 1999 after the geologist Donald Gault (1923-1999).
Description and track characteristics
(6478) Gault was discovered on May 12, 1988 by Carolyn Shoemaker and Eugene Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory .
The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.86 to 2.75 astronomical units , once every 3 years and 6 months. Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.19 and an inclination of 22.8 °.
Discovery of a tail in January 2019
In January 2019, it was discovered that the asteroid has a tail that may have formed after colliding with another celestial body.
In March, NASA announced that it was likely to be a discharge of dust particles from the asteroid rotating too fast. This tears the asteroid slowly apart as the centrifugal force becomes stronger than the gravitational force. This over-rapid rotation is triggered by the YORP effect .
Individual evidence
- ^ Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, CBET 4594
- ↑ Astroblog: Asteroid (6478) Gault has a tail!
- ↑ Rob Garner: Hubble Watches Spun-Up Asteroid Coming Apart. March 27, 2019, accessed on March 28, 2019 .