6255 Kuma, provisional designation 1994 XT, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 December 1994, by Japanese astronomer Akimasa Nakamura at Kuma Kogen Astronomical Observatory on the Island of Shikoku, Japan.[12] It was named after the Japanese town of Kumakōgen.[2]
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | A. Nakamura |
| Discovery site | Kuma Kogen Obs. |
| Discovery date | 5 December 1994 |
| Designations | |
| (6255) Kuma | |
Named after | Kuma, Ehime (Japanese town)[2] |
| 1994 XT · 1975 VJ8 1981 DV3 · 1986 EB2 1988 SU4 · 1989 WP3 1992 OL1 | |
| main-belt · (middle) | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 41.37 yr (15,110 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.8302 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.6527 AU |
| 2.7414 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0324 |
| 4.54 yr (1,658 days) | |
| 37.407° | |
| 0° 13m 1.56s / day | |
| Inclination | 5.1205° |
| 275.38° | |
| 193.11° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 15.53±3.67 km[3] 15.74±5.52 km[4] 16.955±0.135 km[5][6] 17.86±0.52 km[7] 21.50±9.05 km[8] 22.67 km (derived)[9] 22.72±1.7 km (IRAS:3)[10] |
| 9.70±0.01 h[11][a] | |
| 0.0238 (derived)[9] 0.029±0.029[8] 0.0342±0.006 (IRAS:3)[10] 0.04±0.03[4] 0.058±0.004[7] 0.060±0.001[3][5][6] | |
| C [9] | |
| 12.5[5][7][10] · 12.80[3][8] · 12.9[1][9] · 13.09[4] | |
Classification and orbit edit
Kuma is a dark asteroid that orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.7–2.8 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,658 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.03 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The first precovery was taken at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1975, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 19 years prior to its discovery.[12]
Physical characteristics edit
Kuma is an assumed carbonaceous C-type asteroid.[9]
Rotation period edit
In September 2006, a rotational lightcurve of Kuma was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner at the Palmer Divide Observatory (716) in Colorado. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 9.70 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.15 magnitude (U=2).[11][a]
Diameter and albedo edit
According to the space-based surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its NEOWISE mission, Kuma measures between 15.53 and 22.72 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has a low albedo in the range of 0.029 to 0.06.[3][4][5][7][8][10]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an even lower albedo of 0.02 and a diameter of 22.7 kilometers using an absolute magnitude of 12.9.[9]
Naming edit
This minor planet was named after the Japanese rural town Kuma (now Kumakōgen, Ehime), home of the discovering observatory that was built in 1992 for astronomical education and tourism. Kuma is located on the Japanese island of Shikoku, after which the minor planet 4223 Shikoku is named. The town supports local cultural activities and is a significant destination for pilgrims.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 May 1995 (M.P.C. 25231).[13]
Notes edit
- ^ a b Lightcurve plot of 6255 Kuma. Palmer Divide Observatory, B. D. Warner (2006). Summary figures at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)
References edit
- ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 6255 Kuma (1994 XT)" (2017-03-21 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(6255) Kuma". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (6255) Kuma. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 521. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_5754. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
- ^ a b c d Nugent, C. R.; Mainzer, A.; Masiero, J.; Bauer, J.; Cutri, R. M.; Grav, T.; et al. (December 2015). "NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year One: Preliminary Asteroid Diameters and Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 814 (2): 13. arXiv:1509.02522. Bibcode:2015ApJ...814..117N. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/814/2/117. S2CID 9341381. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d Nugent, C. R.; Mainzer, A.; Bauer, J.; Cutri, R. M.; Kramer, E. A.; Grav, T.; et al. (September 2016). "NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year Two: Asteroid Diameters and Albedos". The Astronomical Journal. 152 (3): 12. arXiv:1606.08923. Bibcode:2016AJ....152...63N. doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/63.
- ^ 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. S2CID 35447010. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ a b 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. S2CID 118745497. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
- ^ a b c d Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. (online, AcuA catalog p. 153)
- ^ 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. S2CID 46350317. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (6255) Kuma". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d Tedesco, E. F.; Noah, P. V.; Noah, M.; Price, S. D. (October 2004). "IRAS Minor Planet Survey V6.0". NASA Planetary Data System. 12: IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0. Bibcode:2004PDSS...12.....T. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- ^ a b Warner, Brian D. (March 2007). "Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory - June-September 2006". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 34 (1): 8–10. Bibcode:2007MPBu...34....8W. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ a b "6255 Kuma (1994 XT)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
External links edit
- The Palmer Divide Observatory: Tour given by Brian Warner on YouTube (time 4:03 min.)
- 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
- 6255 Kuma at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- 6255 Kuma at the JPL Small-Body Database
