2017 Wesson
Asteroid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2017 Wesson, provisional designation A903 SC, is a stony asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 20 September 1903, by German astronomer Max Wolf at Heidelberg Observatory in southern Germany.[10] It was later named after Mary Joan Wesson Bardwell, wife of Conrad Bardwell, an associate director of the Minor Planet Center.[2]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | M. F. Wolf |
| Discovery site | Heidelberg Obs. |
| Discovery date | 20 September 1903 |
| Designations | |
| (2017) Wesson | |
Named after | Mary Wesson (wife of C. M. Bardwell)[2] |
| A903 SC · 1936 FA2 1949 CG · 1950 LD1 1970 GE · 1974 QJ1 | |
| main-belt · (inner)[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 113.60 yr (41,492 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.6710 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.8340 AU |
| 2.2525 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1858 |
| 3.38 yr (1,235 days) | |
| 290.04° | |
| 0° 17m 29.4s / day | |
| Inclination | 4.8605° |
| 171.31° | |
| 136.28° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 7.223±0.156 km[4][5] 7.23 km (derived)[3] |
| 2.988 h[6] 3.4158±0.0005 h[7] 3.41581±0.00003 h[8] | |
| 0.200±0.055[3][4][5] | |
| S[3] B–V = 0.887[1] U–B = 0.545[1] | |
| 12.61±0.14[9] · 12.78[1] · 13.07[3][4][6] | |
Orbit and classification
Wesson orbits the Sun in the inner main belt at a distance of 1.8–2.7 AU, orbiting once every 3 years and 5 months (1,235 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.19 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
Physical characteristics
Wesson has been characterized as a stony S-type asteroid.[3] It has a rotation period of 3.418 hours. The numerous lightcurves have a brightness variation of 0.30 to 0.60 magnitude (U=2/3-).[6][7][8] According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, the asteroid measures 7.2 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.200.[4][5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link agrees with the results obtained by WISE.[3]
Naming
The asteroid was named after Mary Joan Wesson Bardwell, wife of Conrad M. Bardwell (1926–2010), after whom the minor planet 1615 Bardwell is named. He also established the identifications for this minor planet.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 April 1978 (M.P.C. 4358).[11]