(39546) 1992 DT5
Dark Hoffmeister asteroid
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(39546) 1992 DT5 is a dark Hoffmeister asteroid and exceptionally slow rotator from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 5.3 kilometers (3.3 miles) in diameter. The likely elongated C-type asteroid was discovered on 29 February 1992, by the UppsalaâESO Survey of Asteroids and Comets at ESO's La Silla astronomical observatory site in northern Chile.[1]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | UESAC |
| Discovery site | La Silla Obs. |
| Discovery date | 29 February 1992 |
| Designations | |
| (39546) 1992 DT5 | |
| 1992 DT5 · 1999 TA162 | |
| main-belt[1][2] · (middle)[3] Hoffmeister[4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 25.68 yr (9,378 d) |
| Aphelion | 2.8587 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.7254 AU |
| 2.7921 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0239 |
| 4.67 yr (1,704 d) | |
| 276.01° | |
| 0° 12m 40.68s / day | |
| Inclination | 5.2622° |
| 150.60° | |
| 304.53° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 5.34 km (calculated)[3] | |
| 1167±100 h[5] | |
| 0.057 (assumed)[3] | |
| C (assumed)[3] | |
| 14.641±0.007 (R)[5] 14.7[2] 14.88±0.30[6] 15.09[3] | |
Orbit and classification
1992 DT5 is an attributed member of the very compact Hoffmeister family (519), which, based upon its low albedo, was most likely formed from the breakup of a 50â100 kilometer-sized, carbon-rich parent body within the past several hundred million years.[7][8] The family consist of nearly 2000 known members and its namesake is the asteroid 1726 Hoffmeister.[9]
It orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.7â2.9 AU once every 4 years and 8 months (1,704 days; semi-major axis of 2.79 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.02 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with its discovery observation at La Silla in February 1992.[1]
Physical characteristics
1992 DT5 is an assumed carbonaceous C-type asteroid.[3] The overall spectral type of the Hoffmeister family is that of a C- and F-type.[9]:â23â
Rotation period
In September 2013, a rotational lightcurve for this asteroid was obtained from photometric observations in the R-band at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. It gave an exceptionally long rotation period of 1167 hours with an estimated error margin of ±100 hours. According to the Light Curve Data Base (LCDB),[3] it is the 8th slowest rotating minor planet known to exist. Due to its high brightness amplitude of 0.80 magnitude, the body has a likely elongated shape (U=2).[5]
Diameter and albedo
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 5.3 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 15.09.[3]
Numbering and naming
This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 26 May 2002 (M.P.C. 45660).[10] As of 2018, it has not been named.[1]