13058 Alfredstevens
Main-belt asteroid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
13058 Alfredstevens, provisional designation 1990 WN3, is a stony Vestian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Belgian astronomer Eric Elst at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Northern Chile, on 19 November 1990.[8] The asteroid was named for Belgian painter Alfred Stevens.[2]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | E. W. Elst |
| Discovery site | La Silla Obs. |
| Discovery date | 19 November 1990 |
| Designations | |
| (13058) Alfredstevens | |
Named after | Alfred Stevens (Belgian painter)[2] |
| 1990 WN3 · 1992 GB7 1992 HB6 | |
| main-belt · Vesta[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 26.45 yr (9,662 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.6314 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.0871 AU |
| 2.3593 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1154 |
| 3.62 yr (1,324 days) | |
| 154.40° | |
| 0° 16m 19.2s / day | |
| Inclination | 6.1063° |
| 197.09° | |
| 214.67° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 2.601±0.409 km[4][5] 3.06 km (calculated)[3] |
| 4.2993±0.0057 h[6] | |
| 0.20 (assumed)[3] 0.344±0.082[4][5] | |
| S[3] | |
| 14.5[1] · 15.23±0.26[7] · 14.7[4] · 14.483±0.004 (R)[6] · 14.93[3] | |
Orbit and classification
Based on its orbital elements, Alfredstevens is a member of the Vesta family, a group of asteroids that originated from a massive impact on the Southern Hemnisphere of 4 Vesta, the family's namesake. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.1â2.6 AU once every 3 years and 7 months (1,324 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.12 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
The body's observation arc begins just five days prior to its official discovery observation, with a precovery taken at Palomar Observatory on 14 November 1990.[8]
Physical characteristics
Lightcurves
In January 2013, a rotational lightcurve of Alfredstevens was obtained from photometric observations in the R-band by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 4.2993 hours with a brightness variation of 0.45 magnitude (U=2).[6]
Diameter and albedo
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Alfredstevens measures 2.6 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a high albedo of 0.34,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a larger diameter of 3.1 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 14.93.[3]
Naming
This minor planet was named in honor of Belgian painter Alfred Stevens (1823â1906), known for his paintings of elegant modern women.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 30 January 2010 (M.P.C. 68446).[9]
