1299 Mertona
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1299 Mertona (prov. designation: Template:Mp) is a bright background asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 18 January 1934, by French astronomer Guy Reiss at Algiers Observatory, Algeria, in northern Africa.[1] The likely stony asteroid with an unknown spectral type has a rotation period of 5.0 hours and measures approximately Script error: No such module "convert". in diameter. It was named after English astronomer Gerald Merton.[2]
Orbit and classification
Mertona is a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population when applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements.[3][4] It orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.3–3.3 AU once every 4 years and 8 months (1,713 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.19 and an inclination of 8° with respect to the ecliptic.[5] As neither precoveries nor prior identifications were obtained, MertonaTemplate:'s observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Algiers.[1]
Naming
This minor planet was named after English astronomer Gerald Merton (1893–1983),[2] who was president of the British Astronomical Association between 1950 and 1952.[6] The Template:MoMP was mentioned in The Names of the Minor Planets by Paul Herget in 1955 (H 119Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".).[2]
Physical characteristics
Rotation period
Several rotational lightcurves of Mertona were obtained during 2003–2016. Photometric observations were taken by astronomers Andy Monson and Steven Kipp (Script error: No such module "val". hours; Δ0.55 mag; U=3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) in November 2003,[7] by French amateur astronomer René Roy (Script error: No such module "val". hours; Δ0.46 mag; U=3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) in March 2005,[8] by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory (Script error: No such module "val". hours, Δ0.48 mag, U=2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) in August 2012,[9] and by Daniel Klinglesmith (Script error: No such module "val". hours, Δ0.59 mag, U=3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) at Etscorn Observatory Template:Obscode in Socorro, New Mexico.[10] In addition, a 2016-published lightcurve, modelling data from the Lowell photometric database, gave a concurring period of Script error: No such module "val". hours and a spin axis of (73.0°, 35.0°) in ecliptic coordinates (U=n.a.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".).[11]
Diameter and albedo
According to the surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Mertona measures between 14.14 and 14.90 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo between 0.219 and 0.243.[12][13] Although such a high albedo is typical for stony asteroids, the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.057, which it uses as the generic albedo for all carbonaceous C-type asteroids. It therefore calculates a larger diameter of 27.90 kilometers (as the lower the albedo or reflectivity, the larger a body's diameter at an unchanged absolute magnitude or brightness).[14] Carbonaceous asteroids are the predominant type in the outer main-belt, while stony asteroids are mostly found in the inner regions of the asteroid belt.
References
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External links
- Lightcurve Database Query (LCDB), at www.minorplanet.info
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Geneva Observatory, Raoul Behrend
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
- Template:AstDys
- Template:PAGENAMEBASE at the JPL Small-Body DatabaseTemplate:EditAtWikidata
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