1462 Zamenhof
Carbonaceous Themistian asteroid
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1462 Zamenhof, provisional designation 1938 CA, is a carbonaceous Themistian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 27 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 6 February 1938, by Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä at the Iso-Heikkilä Observatory in Finland.[12] The asteroid was named after L. L. Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto.[2] It is a recognized Zamenhof-Esperanto object.
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Y. Väisälä |
| Discovery site | Turku Obs. |
| Discovery date | 6 February 1938 |
| Designations | |
| (1462) Zamenhof | |
Named after | L. L. Zamenhof[2] (creator of Esperanto) |
| 1938 CA · 1963 TS 1964 VF2 · 1969 TU5 | |
| main-belt · (outer) Themis[3][4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 53.72 yr (19,623 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.4958 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.8032 AU |
| 3.1495 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1100 |
| 5.59 yr (2,042 days) | |
| 7.0433° | |
| 0° 10m 34.68s / day | |
| Inclination | 0.9657° |
| 24.810° | |
| 187.54° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 25.62 km (derived)[3] 25.91±0.55 km[5] 26.57±0.52 km[6] 27.366±0.166 km[7] 27.645±0.395 km[8] |
| 10.2±0.6 h[9] 10.4±0.1 h[10] | |
| 0.087±0.015[5] 0.0891 (derived)[3] 0.1108±0.0319[8] 0.121±0.005[6] | |
| C (assumed)[3] | |
| 10.80[6][8] · 11.20[1][3][5] · 11.31±0.32[11] | |
Orbit and classification
Zamenhof is a Themistian asteroid that belongs to the Themis family (602),[4] a very large family of carbonaceous asteroids, named after 24 Themis.[13]:â23â It orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.8â3.5 AU once every 5 years and 7 months (2,042 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The body's observation arc begins at the discovering observatory, one month prior to its official discovery observation.[12]
Physical characteristics
The Lightcurve Data Base assumes Zamenhof to be a common, carbonaceous C-type asteroid,[3] in agreement with the overall spectral type of the Themis family.[13]:â23â
Rotation period
Two rotational lightcurves of Zamenhof were obtained from photometric observations in 2006 and 2011. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 10.2 and 10.4 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.15 and 0.30 magnitude, respectively (U=2/2).[9][10]
Diameter and albedo
According to the surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Zamenhof measures between 25.91 and 27.645 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.087 and 0.121.[5][6][7][8]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.0891 and a diameter of 25.62 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.2.[3]
Naming
This minor planet was named after L. L. Zamenhof (1859â1917), a Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist and creator of Esperanto, a constructed international language.[2] This asteroid and 1421 Esperanto are considered to be the most remote Zamenhof-Esperanto objects (a monument or a place celebrating Zamenhof). The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center in January 1956 (M.P.C. 1350).[14]
