10241 Miličević
Themistian asteroid
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10241 Miličević, provisional designation 1999 AU6, is a carbonaceous Themistian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 9 January 1999, by Croatian astronomer Korado Korlević at the Višnjan Observatory in Croatia. The C-type asteroid has a short rotation period of 3.87 hours and was named after hermit and amateur astronomer Don Nikola Miličević.[1][3]
(Croatian hermit)
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | K. Korlević |
| Discovery site | Višnjan Obs. |
| Discovery date | 9 January 1999 |
| Designations | |
Named after | Nikola Miličević[1] (Croatian hermit) |
| 1999 AU6 · 1981 UX24 1996 KB1 · 1997 WB49 | |
| main-belt[1][2] · (outer)[3] Themis[4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 35.69 yr (13,034 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.5285 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.5672 AU |
| 3.0479 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1577 |
| 5.32 yr (1,944 d) | |
| 345.06° | |
| 0° 11m 6.72s / day | |
| Inclination | 1.6172° |
| 151.77° | |
| 190.89° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 10.882±0.159 km[5][6] 8.39 km (calculated)[3] | |
| 3.87±0.03 h[7] | |
| 0.057 (assumed)[3] 0.065±0.005[5][6] | |
| C[3][8] | |
| 13.4[6] 13.6[2] 13.66±0.11 (R)[7] 13.67±0.18[8] 14.11[3] | |
Orbit and classification
Miličević is a Themistian asteroid that belongs to the Themis family (602),[4] a very large family of carbonaceous asteroids, named after 24 Themis.[9] It orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.6–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 4 months (1,944 days; semi-major axis of 3.05 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.16 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]
The body's observation arc begins with its first observation at Palomar Observatory in October 1981, more than 17 years prior to its official discovery observation at Višnjan.[1]
Physical characteristics
Based on its classification to the Themis family and on observations conducted by the Pan-STARRS survey, Miličević is a carbonaceous C-type asteroid.[3][8]
Rotation period
In December 2014, a rotational lightcurve of Miličević was obtained from photometric observations in the R-band by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a short rotation period of 3.87 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.34 magnitude (U=2).[3][7]
Diameter and albedo
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Miličević measures 10.882 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.065,[5][6] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for a carbonaceous asteroid of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 8.39 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 14.11.[3]
Naming
This minor planet was named after Don Nikola Miličević (1887–1963), Croatian amateur astronomer and last administrator of Blaca hermitage. The Hermitage is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the Brač island in Croatia.[1] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 15 December 2005 (M.P.C. 55720).[10]
