9524 O'Rourke, provisionally designated 1981 EJ5, is an asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 2 March 1981, by American astronomer Schelte Bus at the Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia. The asteroid was named after Laurence O'Rourke, a researcher at the European Space Astronomy Centre.[2]
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | S. J. Bus |
| Discovery site | Siding Spring Obs. |
| Discovery date | 2 March 1981 |
| Designations | |
| (9524) O'Rourke | |
Named after | Laurence O'Rourke (ESAC researcher)[2] |
| 1981 EJ5 · 1975 NU | |
| main-belt · (inner) | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 41.90 yr (15,305 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.6928 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.7027 AU |
| 2.1978 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2253 |
| 3.26 yr (1,190 days) | |
| 335.52° | |
| 0° 18m 9s / day | |
| Inclination | 4.9414° |
| 286.97° | |
| 9.9334° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 2.920±0.662 km[3] |
| 0.273±0.087[3] | |
| 14.7[1] | |
Orbit and classification edit
O'Rourke orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.7–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 3 months (1,190 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.23 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] It was first observed as 1975 NU at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1975, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 6 years prior to its official discovery observation.[2]
Physical characteristics edit
According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, the asteroid measures 2.920 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.273.[3]
As of 2017, O'Rourke's spectral type, as well as its rotation period and shape remain unknown.[1][4]
Naming edit
This minor planet was named after Laurence O'Rourke (born 1970), a researcher at the European Space Astronomy Centre in Madrid, Spain, and a coordinator of ESA's Rosetta mission.[2][5] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 12 July 2014 (M.P.C. 89078).[6]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 9524 O'Rourke (1981 EJ5)" (2017-06-05 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d "9524 O'Rourke (1981 EJ5)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ 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 10 March 2017.
- ^ "LCDB Data for (9524) O'Rourke". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ "Asteroids Named After ESA Rosetta Scientists". ESA. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 10 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
- 9524 O'Rourke at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- 9524 O'Rourke at the JPL Small-Body Database
