Cora (minor planet designation: 504 Cora), provisional designation 1902 LK, is a metallic asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Solon Bailey at Harvard's Boyden Station in Arequipa, Peru, on 30 June 1902.[15] It was later named after Cora, a figure in Inca mythology.[2]

504 Cora
Discovery [1]
Discovered byS. I. Bailey
Discovery siteBoyden Stn.(Arequipa)
Discovery date30 June 1902
Designations
(504) Cora
Named after
Mama Qura, second queen of the Kingdom of Cuzco[2]
1902 LK · 1947 OH
main-belt · (middle)
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 16 February 2017 (JD 2457800.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc110.44 yr (40,337 days)
Aphelion3.3127 AU
Perihelion2.1296 AU
2.7212 AU
Eccentricity0.2174
4.49 yr (1,640 days)
147.01°
0° 13m 10.56s / day
Inclination12.888°
104.63°
247.92°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions27.19±1.00 km[3]
29.06 km (derived)[4]
30.02±2.3 km (IRAS:40)[5]
30.39±0.35 km[6]
30.438±0.298[7]
34.994±0.490 km[8]
7.588±0.003 h[9]
7.5882±0.0043 h[10]
7.591±0.001 h[11]
7.5915±0.0043[10]
24.06 h (dated)[12]
0.1908 (derived)[4]
0.239±0.032[3][7]
0.2509±0.0553[8]
0.336±0.010[6]
0.3407±0.058 (IRAS:40)[5]
SMASS = X[1] · M[8][13] · X[4]
9.4[5][6][8] · 9.776±0.001 (R)[10] · 9.858±0.001 (R)[10] · 10.00[3] · 10.07±0.35[14] · 10.1[1][4]

Classification and orbit edit

Cora orbits the Sun in the middle main-belt at a distance of 2.1–3.3 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,640 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 13° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The body's observation arc begins 4 years after its discovery with the first used observation made at Heidelberg in 1906.[15]

Physical characteristics edit

Spectral type edit

On the Tholen taxonomic scheme, as well as by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), Cora is classified as a metallic M-type asteroid.[8][13]

Mineralogic observations in the near-infrared with the NASA IRTF telescope using its SpeX spectrograph, showed that its surface is that of an X-type asteroid, with absorption features indicating the presence of pyroxene minerals.[13] In 2004, the body's spectrum was also obtained in the SMASSII survey at the U.S. MDM Observatory, Kitt Peak, Arizona.[16]

Rotation period edit

Several rotational lightcurves of Cora were obtained for this asteroid by astronomers Maria A. Barucci, David Higgins, Axel Martin, and the Palomar Transient Factory. With one exception,[12] they all gave a rotation period close to 7.59 hours.[11][10] Among these, David Higgins' observation made in September 2010, at the Hunters Hill Observatory (E14) in Ngunnawal, Australia – gave the best rated lightcurve with a period of 7.588±0.003 hours and a brightness variation of 0.20 magnitude (U=3-).[9]

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 WISE telescope with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Cora's surface has a high albedo between 0.239 and 0.341. Combined with their respective absolute magnitudes, this results in a diameter estimate of 27.2 to 35.0 kilometers.[3][5][6][7][8] In contrast, the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives a much lower albedo of 0.19 and a diameter of 29.1 kilometers, based on an absolute magnitude of 10.1.[4]

Naming edit

This minor planet was named after Cora, a figure in Inca mythology (AN 169).[2][17]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 504 Cora (1902 LK)" (2016-11-06 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(504) Cora". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (504) Cora. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 55. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_505. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ 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. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e "LCDB Data for (504) Cora". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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)
  7. ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv:1406.6645. Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  8. ^ 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. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  9. ^ a b Higgins, David (January 2011). "Period Determination of Asteroid Targets Observed at Hunters Hill Observatory: May 2009 - September 2010". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 38 (1): 41–46. Bibcode:2011MPBu...38...41H. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  11. ^ a b Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (504) Cora". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  12. ^ a b Barucci, M. A.; di Martino, M.; Fulchignoni, M. (May 1992). "Rotational properties of small asteroids - Photoelectric observations". Astronomical Journal. 103: 1679–1686. Bibcode:1992AJ....103.1679B. doi:10.1086/116185. ISSN 0004-6256. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  13. ^ a b c Reynolds, Chalbeth; Hardersen, P. S.; Gaffey, M. J. (October 2007). "The Near-IR Spectrocopy of Two M-Class Main Belt Asteroids, 418 Alemannia and 504 Cora". American Astronomical Society. 39: 477. Bibcode:2007DPS....39.3306R. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  14. ^ 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 25 May 2016.
  15. ^ a b "504 Cora (1902 LK)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  16. ^ Bus, S.; Binzel, R. P. (October 2004). "504 Cora CCD Spectrum". NASA Planetary Data System. 1: EAR-A-I0028-4-SBN0001. Bibcode:2004PDSS....1..991B. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  17. ^ Osten, H. (October 1903). "Aufsuchungsephemeride des Planeten (504) [1902 LK]". Astronomische Nachrichten. 163 (20): 315. Bibcode:1903AN....163..315O. doi:10.1002/asna.19031632009. Retrieved 1 March 2016.

External links edit