5656 Oldfield
Asteroid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
5656 Oldfield, provisional designation A920 TA, is a background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7.7 kilometers (4.8 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 8 October 1920, by astronomer Walter Baade at the Bergedorf Observatory in Hamburg, Germany. The asteroid was named for English musician Mike Oldfield.[1]
(English musician)
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | W. Baade |
| Discovery site | Bergedorf Obs. |
| Discovery date | 8 October 1920 |
| Designations | |
Named after | Mike Oldfield[1] (English musician) |
| A920 TA · 1978 WW18 1981 JZ5 | |
| main-belt[1][2] · (inner) background[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 97.29 yr (35,536 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.1076 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.8111 AU |
| 2.4594 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2636 |
| 3.86 yr (1,409 d) | |
| 125.66° | |
| 0° 15m 19.8s / day | |
| Inclination | 4.0144° |
| 248.67° | |
| 83.725° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 7.691±0.051 km[4] | |
| 0.075±0.009[4] | |
| 14.1[2] | |
Orbit and classification
Oldfield is a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population.[3] It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.8–3.1 AU once every 3 years and 10 months (1,409 days; semi-major axis of 2.46 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.26 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]
The body's observation arc begins at Bergedorf two nights after its official discovery observation.[1]
Physical characteristics
Diameter and albedo
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Oldfield measures 7.691 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.075.[4]
Rotation period
As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Oldfield has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, poles and shape remain unknown.[2]
Naming
This minor planet was named after English composer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield (born 1953), creator of the famed Tubular Bells albums.[1] The official naming citation was proposed by Gareth V. Williams and published by the Minor Planet Center on 25 April 1994 (M.P.C. 23353).[5]
