(6478) Gault

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Asteroid
(6478) Gault
Properties of the orbit ( animation )
Epoch:  April 27, 2019 ( JD 2,458,600.5)
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

  1. ^ Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, CBET 4594
  2. ↑ Astroblog: Asteroid (6478) Gault has a tail!
  3. ↑ Rob Garner: Hubble Watches Spun-Up Asteroid Coming Apart. March 27, 2019, accessed on March 28, 2019 .

Web links