5380 Sprigg, provisional designation 1991 JT, is a background asteroid from the middle regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 7 May 1991, by Australian astronomer Robert McNaught at Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia.[8] It was named after Australian geologist Reg Sprigg.[2]
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | R. H. McNaught |
| Discovery site | Siding Spring Obs. |
| Discovery date | 7 May 1991 |
| Designations | |
| (5380) Sprigg | |
Named after | Reg Sprigg (Australian geologist)[2] |
| 1991 JT · 1983 JN 1983 LA1 | |
| main-belt · (middle) [3] background | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 35.92 yr (13,118 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.1229 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.0357 AU |
| 2.5793 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2108 |
| 4.14 yr (1,513 days) | |
| 102.71° | |
| 0° 14m 16.44s / day | |
| Inclination | 9.3019° |
| 242.31° | |
| 358.90° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 6.606±0.290 km[4][5] 12.75 km (calculated)[3] |
| 3.219±0.002 h[6] | |
| 0.057 (assumed)[3] 0.280±0.025[4][5] | |
| X [7] · C [3] | |
| 12.9[4] · 13.03±0.32[7] · 13.2[1][3] | |
Orbit and classification edit
Sprigg is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 2.0–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 2 months (1,513 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.21 and an inclination of 9° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] A first precovery was taken at Palomar Observatory in 1980, extending the body's observation arc by 11 years prior to its official discovery observation at Siding Spring.[8]
Naming edit
This minor planet was named after Reg Sprigg (1919–1994), Australian exploration geologist, oceanographer, biologist, author and conservationist. In 1946, he discovered the pre-Cambrian Ediacara biota, an assemblage of some of the most ancient animal fossils known. He is also the founder of the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary which also hosts a small observatory. The naming was proposed by astronomer Duncan Steel.[2] Naming citation was prepared by the Sprigg family and published on 11 April 1998 (M.P.C. 31609).[9]
Physical characteristics edit
Sprigg has been classified as an X-type asteroid by Pan-STARRS photometric survey.[7]
Rotation period edit
A rotational lightcurve of Sprigg was obtained from photometric observations by astronomer Maurice Clark at Texas Tech University in October 2013. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 3.219 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.68 magnitude, indicating that the body has a non-spheroidal shape (U=3-).[6]
Diameter and albedo edit
According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Sprigg measures 6.606 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.280,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a larger diameter of 12.75 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.2.[3]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 5380 Sprigg (1991 JT)" (2016-09-13 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
- ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(5380) Sprigg". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (5380) Sprigg. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 460. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_5173. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
- ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (5380) Sprigg". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ 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 29 March 2017.
- ^ a b Clark, Maurice (July 2014). "Asteroid Photometry from the Preston Gott Observatory". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 41 (3): 178–183. Bibcode:2014MPBu...41..178C. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- ^ 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 29 March 2017.
- ^ a b "5380 Sprigg (1991 JT)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
External links edit
- Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
- Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (5001)-(10000) – Minor Planet Center
- 5380 Sprigg at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- 5380 Sprigg at the JPL Small-Body Database
