4276 Clifford
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| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | E. Bowell |
| Discovery site | Lowell Obs. |
| Discovery date | 2 December 1981 |
| Designations | |
| (4276) Clifford | |
Named after | Clifford Cunningham (Canadian astronomer)[2] |
| 1981 XA | |
| Mars-crosser[1][3] · main belt | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 35.67 yr (13,027 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.4195 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.5994 AU |
| 2.0095 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2041 |
| 2.85 yr (1,040 days) | |
| 186.63° | |
| 0° 20m 45.6s / day | |
| Inclination | 21.033° |
| 76.881° | |
| 3.5494° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 4.441±1.128 km[4] |
| 0.142±0.107[4] | |
| SMASS = Cb[1] | |
| 14.6[1] | |
4276 Clifford, provisional designation1981 XA is an asteroid and sizable Mars-crosser from the innermost region of the asteroid belt, approximately 4.4 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 2 December 1981, by American astronomers Edward Bowell at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, United States. The asteroid was named in honor of astronomer and writer Clifford Cunningham.[3]
Clifford is a member of the group of main-belt asteroids known as Mars-crosser asteroids, specifically, it is listed as an Outer-grazer.[citation needed] It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.6–2.4 AU once every 2 years and 10 months (1,040 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.20 and an inclination of 21° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
Physical characteristics
In the SMASS classification, Clifford is a Cb-type, which transitions from the carbonaceous C-type asteroids to the rare B-type asteroids.[1]
According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Clifford measures 4.441 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.142.[4] As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve has been obtained of Clifford. Its rotation period and shape remain unknown.[5]
