1563 Noël, provisional designation 1943 EG, is a stony Flora asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 7 March 1943, by Belgian astronomer Sylvain Arend at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle, and named after his son.[2][6]

1563 Noël
Discovery[1]
Discovered byS. Arend
Discovery siteUccle Obs.
Discovery date7 March 1943
Designations
(1563) Noël
Named after
Emanuel Arend
(discoverer's son)[2]
1943 EG · 1930 EF
main-belt · Flora[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc87.06 yr (31,799 days)
Aphelion2.3789 AU
Perihelion2.0037 AU
2.1913 AU
Eccentricity0.0856
3.24 yr (1,185 days)
347.57°
0° 18m 13.68s / day
Inclination5.9829°
53.649°
116.41°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions7.23±0.51 km[4]
8.98 km (calculated)[3]
3.5483±0.0003 h[a]
3.5486±0.0002 h[a]
3.5488±0.0001 h[a]
3.5495±0.0001 h[a]
3.550±0.002 h[5]
0.24 (assumed)[3]
0.370±0.051[4]
SMASS = Sa[1] · S[3]
12.4[1][3][4]

Orbit and classification edit

Noël is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the main-belt. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.0–2.4 AU once every 3 years and 3 months (1,185 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.09 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] Noël was first identified as 1930 EF at the Crimean Simeiz Observatory in 1930, extending its observation arc by 13 years prior to its official discovery observation.[6]

Physical characteristics edit

The S-type asteroid is characterized as a transitional Sa-subtype on the SMASS taxonomic scheme.[1]

Rotation period edit

Between April 2008 and June 2015, five rotational lightcurves were obtained from photometric observations by Czech astronomer Petr Pravec at the Ondřejov Observatory near Prague. All lightcurves show a well-defined rotation period between 3.548 and 3.550 hours with a brightness variation of 0.15 to 0.18 in magnitude (U=3).[a]

In April 2008, a photometric observation by astronomer Julian Oey at the Kingsgrove Observatory, Australia, gave a concurring period of 3.550±0.002 hours and an amplitude of 0.14 (U=3).[5]

Diameter and albedo edit

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Noël measures 7.2 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a high albedo of 0.37,[4] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora, the family's principal body and namesake – and calculates a larger diameter of 9.0 kilometers.[3]

Naming edit

This minor planet was named in honor of the discoverer's son, Emanuel Arend (H 138).[2]

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Pravec (2008, 2011, 2013, 2015) web: rotation period of 3.5495±0.0001, 3.5483±0.0003, 3.5488±0.0001 and 3.5486±0.0002 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.15 mag. Summary figures at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) for (1563) Noel and Pravec, P.; Wolf, M.; Sarounova, L. (2011, 2013, 2015)

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1563 Noel (1943 EG)" (2017-03-29 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1563) Noël". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1563) Noël. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 124. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1564. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (1563) Noel". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv:1209.5794. Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8.
  5. ^ a b Oey, Julian (January 2009). "Lightcurve Analysis of Asteroids from Leura and Kingsgrove Observatories in the First Half of 2008". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 36 (1): 4–6. Bibcode:2009MPBu...36....4O. ISSN 1052-8091.
  6. ^ a b "1563 Noel (1943 EG)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

External links edit