2606 Odessa, provisional designation 1976 GX2, is a background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 1 April 1976, by Soviet–Russian astronomer Nikolai Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, on the Crimean peninsula.[1] The presumably metallic X- or M-type asteroid has an elongated shape and a rotation period of 8.24 hours.[7] It was named for the Ukrainian city of Odesa.[2]

2606 Odessa
Lightcurve-based 3D-model of Odessa
Discovery [1]
Discovered byN. Chernykh
Discovery siteCrimean Astrophysical Obs.
Discovery date1 April 1976
Designations
(2606) Odessa
Named after
Odesa[2] (city in Ukraine)
1976 GX2 · 1955 VE
main-belt[1][3] · (middle)
background[4]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc62.91 yr (22,979 d)
Aphelion3.4893 AU
Perihelion2.0286 AU
2.7589 AU
Eccentricity0.2647
4.58 yr (1,674 d)
50.837°
0° 12m 54.36s / day
Inclination12.452°
197.31°
353.17°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
15.910±0.231 km[5][6]
25.44 km (calculated)[7]
8.2426±0.0003 h[8]
8.244±0.002 h[9]
8.2444 h[10]
0.057 (assumed)[7]
0.1753±0.0296[5][6]
SMASS = Xk[3]
X[11] · M[6]
11.5[6] · 11.57±0.21[11]
11.7[3][7]

Orbit and classification edit

Odessa is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population.[4] It orbits the Sun in the intermediate asteroid belt at a distance of 2.0–3.5 AU once every 4 years and 7 months (1,674 days; semi-major axis of 2.76 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.26 and an inclination of 12° with respect to the ecliptic.[3]

The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken at Palomar Observatory in July 1954, near 22 years prior to its official discovery observation at Nauchnij.[1]

Physical characteristics edit

In the SMASS classification, Odessa is a Xk-subtype that transitions between the X- and K-type asteroids.[3] It has also been characterized as an X-type by Pan-STARRS photometric survey,[11] while it as an M-type asteroid according to the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE).[6]

Rotation period and poles edit

In 2008, two rotational lightcurves of Odessa were obtained from photometric observations at the Hunters Hill and Oakley Southern Sky observatories in Australia. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of 8.2426 and 8.244 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.80 and 0.72 magnitude, respectively, indicative for a non-spherical shape (U=3/3).[8][9]

In 2016, a modeled lightcurve gave a concurring sidereal period of 8.2444 hours using data from the Uppsala Asteroid Photometric Catalogue, the Palomar Transient Factory survey, and individual observers (such as above), as well as sparse-in-time photometry from the NOFS, the Catalina Sky Survey, and the La Palma surveys (950). The study also determined two spin axes of (25.0°, −81.0°) and (283.0°, −88.0°) in ecliptic coordinates (λ, β).[10]

Diameter and albedo edit

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's WISE telescope, Odessa measures 15.91 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.175,[5][6] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a carbonaceous standard albedo of 0.057 and consequently calculates a larger diameter of 25.44 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.7.[7]

Naming edit

This minor planet was named after the Ukrainian black Sea port city of Odesa.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 December 1982 (M.P.C. 7472).[12]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "2606 Odessa (1976 GX2)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(2606) Odessa". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2606) Odessa. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 213. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2607. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2606 Odessa (1976 GX2)" (2017-06-03 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Asteroid 2606 Odessa – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90.
  7. ^ a b c d e "LCDB Data for (2606) Odessa". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  8. ^ a b Higgins, David; Pravec, Petr; Kusnirak, Peter; Hornoch, Kamil; Brinsfield, James W.; Allen, Bill; et al. (September 2008). "Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at Hunters Hill Observatory and Collaborating Stations: November 2007 - March 2008". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 35 (3): 123–126. Bibcode:2008MPBu...35..123H. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  9. ^ a b Oliver, Robert Lemke; Shipley, Heath; Ditteon, Richard (October 2008). "Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at the Oakley Southern Sky Observatory: 2008 March". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 35 (4): 149–150. Bibcode:2008MPBu...35..149O. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b Hanuš, J.; Ďurech, J.; Brož, M.; Marciniak, A.; Warner, B. D.; Pilcher, F.; et al. (March 2013). "Asteroids' physical models from combined dense and sparse photometry and scaling of the YORP effect by the observed obliquity distribution". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 551: A67. arXiv:1301.6943. Bibcode:2013A&A...551A..67H. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220701. ISSN 0004-6361.
  11. ^ a b c Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  12. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 April 2018.

External links edit