257 Silesia

257 Silesia is a large Main belt asteroid, about 73 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Johann Palisa on 5 April 1886 at Vienna Observatory, Austria.

DiscoveredbyJ. Palisa

DiscoverysiteVienna Observatory

Discoverydate5 April 1886

MPCdesignation

(257) Silesia

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257 Silesia

Modelled shape of Silesia from its lightcurve
Discovery[1]
Discovered by	J. Palisa
Discovery site	Vienna Observatory
Discovery date	5 April 1886
Designations
MPC designation	(257) Silesia
Pronunciation	/saɪˈliːʃiə/[2][3]
Named after	Silesia (region)[4]
Alternative designations	A886 GB, 1929 DD 1952 FL1, 1952 HU
Minor planet category	main-belt
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	129.94 yr (47462 d)
Aphelion	3.4669 AU (518.64 Gm)
Perihelion	2.7711 AU (414.55 Gm)
Semi-major axis	3.1190 AU (466.60 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.11154
Orbital period (sidereal)	5.51 yr (2012.0 d)
Mean anomaly	30.606°
Mean motion	0° 10m 44.148s / day
Inclination	3.6351°
Longitude of ascending node	34.364°
Argument of perihelion	27.605°
Earth MOID	1.78299 AU (266.732 Gm)
Jupiter MOID	1.8503 AU (276.80 Gm)
TJupiter	3.204
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	72.66±2.2 km
Synodic rotation period	15.7095 h (0.65456 d)
Geometric albedo	0.0545±0.003
Spectral type	B–V = 0.761 U–B = 0.384 SCTU (Tholen) Ch (SMASS)
Absolute magnitude (H)	9.47

Close

It is named after Silesia, the province of the discoverer's birthplace (nowadays most of Silesia is in Poland, but Palisa's birthplace is in the small part of Silesia that is in the Czech Republic).^[4]