Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Vincenzo Cerulli |
Discovery date | 2 October 1910 |
Designations | |
(704) Interamnia | |
Pronunciation | /ɪntərˈæmniə/ [1] |
Named after | Teramo |
1910 KU; 1952 MW | |
Main belt | |
Adjectives | Interamnian /ɪntərˈæmniən/ [1] |
Orbital characteristics [2] | |
Epoch July 01, 2021 (JD 2459396.5, heliocentric) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 110.8 yr |
Aphelion | 3.53 AU (528 Gm) |
Perihelion | 2.58 AU (386 Gm) |
3.056 AU (457.2 Gm) | |
Eccentricity | 0.155 |
5.34 yr (1951 d) | |
Average orbital speed | 16.92 km/s[ citation needed ] |
248° | |
0° 11m 4.2s / day | |
Inclination | 17.31° |
280.3° | |
94.8° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | c/a = 0.86±0.03 [3] 362 × 348 × 310 ± 8 km [4] |
332±5 km [3] 332±6 km(volume equivalent) [4] | |
Mass | (35±5)×1018 kg [3] (38±13)×1018 kg [4] |
Mean density | 1.84±0.28 g/cm3 [3] 2.0±0.7 g/cm3 [4] |
8.71 h [4] | |
Pole ecliptic latitude | 62±5° |
Pole ecliptic longitude | 87±5° |
0.067 [3] 0.078±0.014 geometric (0.645±0.014 BV, 0.259±0.021 UB) [2] | |
F/B [2] | |
9.9 to 13.0 [5] | |
6.38 [2] | |
704 Interamnia is a large F-type asteroid. With a mean diameter of around 330 kilometres, it is the fifth-largest asteroid, after Ceres, Vesta, Pallas and Hygiea. Its mean distance from the Sun is 3.067 AU. It was discovered on 2 October 1910 by Vincenzo Cerulli, and named after the Latin name for Teramo, Italy, where Cerulli worked. Its mass is probably between fifth and tenth highest in the asteroid belt, with a mass estimated to be 1.2% of the mass of the entire asteroid belt. [6] Observations by the Very Large Telescope's SPHERE imager in 2017–2019, combined with occultation results, indicate that the shape of Interamnia may be consistent with hydrostatic equilibrium for a body of its density with a rotational period of 7.6 hours. (Its current period is 8.7 hours.) This suggests that Interamnia may have formed as an equilibrium body, and that impacts changed its rotational period after it fully solidified. [4]
Although Interamnia is the largest asteroid after the "big four", it is a very little-studied body. It is easily the largest of the F-type asteroids, but until 2017-2019 there existed very few details of its internal composition or shape, and no light curve analysis has yet been done to determine the ecliptic coordinates of Interamnia's poles (and hence its axial tilt). Studies by the Very Large Telescope give an average diameter of about 332 km and found an ellipsoidal shape for Interamnia, similar to 4 Vesta; the resulting density calculation (1.98 ± 0.68 g·cm−3) is not precise enough to definitely infer Interamnia's composition, but the presence of hydrated materials at the surface and its overall spectral similarities to Ceres suggest that it is likely an icy body. The absence of an affiliated asteroid family implies that Interamnia has not suffered a giant impact within the past 3 billion years, [7] in contrast to 4 Vesta and 10 Hygiea. [8] [9]
Its very dark surface and relatively large distance from the Sun means Interamnia can never be seen with 10x50 binoculars. At most oppositions its magnitude is around +11.0, which is less than the minimum brightness of Vesta, Ceres or Pallas. Even at a perihelic opposition its magnitude is only +9.9, [5] which is over four magnitudes lower than Vesta.
There are no deep basins visible in the VLT images. Any large craters must have flat floors, consistent with an icy C/F-type composition. [10]
In 2001, Michalak estimated Interamnia to have a mass of (7±2)×1019 kg. Michalak's estimate depends on the masses of 19 Fortuna, 29 Amphitrite, and 16 Psyche; thus this mass was obtained assuming an incomplete dynamical model. [11]
In 2011, Baer calculated Interamnia had a mass of (3.9±0.2)×1019 kg. [12]
Goffin's 2014 astrometric reanalysis gives an even lower mass of (2.7±0.1)×1019 kg. [13]
In 2019, Hanuš et al. consolidated 21 selected prior mass estimates, dating from 1992 to 2017, with a metastatistical result of (3.8±1.3)×1019 kg (that is, (2.5 to 5.1)×1019 kg to within 1 sigma uncertainty. [4]
Europa is the 6th-largest asteroid in the asteroid belt, having a diameter of over 300 km, though it is not correspondingly massive. It is not round but is shaped like an ellipsoid of approximately 380×330×250 km. It was discovered on 4 February 1858, by Hermann Goldschmidt from his balcony in Paris. It is named after Europa, one of Zeus's conquests in Greek mythology, a name it shares with Jupiter's moon Europa.
16 Psyche is a large M-type asteroid, which was discovered by the Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis, on 17 March 1852 and named after the Greek goddess Psyche. The prefix "16" signifies that it was the sixteenth minor planet in order of discovery. It is the largest and most massive of the M-type asteroids, and one of the dozen most massive asteroids. It has a mean diameter of approximately 220 kilometers (140 mi) and contains about one percent of the mass of the asteroid belt. It was thought to be the exposed core of a protoplanet, but recent observations cast doubt on that hypothesis. Psyche will be explored by NASA, with a spacecraft of the same name, marking the first time a manmade object will journey to a metallic asteroid, launched on 13 October 2023, with an expected arrival in 2029.
Juno is a large asteroid in the asteroid belt. Juno was the third asteroid discovered, in 1804, by German astronomer Karl Harding. It is one of the twenty largest asteroids and one of the two largest stony (S-type) asteroids, along with 15 Eunomia. It is estimated to contain 1% of the total mass of the asteroid belt.
Cybele, minor planet designation 65 Cybele, is one of the largest asteroids in the Solar System. It is located in the outer asteroid belt. It is thought to be a remnant primordial body. It gives its name to the Cybele group of asteroids that orbit outward from the Sun from the 2:1 orbital resonance with Jupiter. The X-type asteroid has a relatively short rotation period of 6.0814 hours. It was discovered by Wilhelm Tempel in 1861, and named after Cybele, the earth goddess.
M-type asteroids are a spectral class of asteroids which appear to contain higher concentrations of metal phases than other asteroid classes, and are widely thought to be the source of iron meteorites.
Davida is a large C-type asteroid in the asteroid belt. It is one of the largest asteroids; approximately tied for 7th place, to within measurement uncertainties, and the 5th or 6th most massive. It was discovered by R. S. Dugan in 1903. Davida is named after David Peck Todd, an astronomy professor at Amherst College.
Iris is a large main-belt asteroid and possible remnant planetesimal orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. It is the fourth-brightest object in the asteroid belt. 7 Iris is classified as an S-type asteroid, meaning that it has a stony composition.
Hygiea is a major asteroid located in the main asteroid belt. With a mean diameter of between 425 and 440 km and a mass estimated to be 3% of the total mass of the belt, it is the fourth-largest asteroid in the Solar System by both volume and mass, and is the largest of the C-type asteroids in classifications that use G type for 1 Ceres. It is very close to spherical, apparently because it had re-accreted after the disruptive impact that produced the large Hygiean family of asteroids.
Eunomia is a very large asteroid in the middle asteroid belt. It is the largest of the stony (S-type) asteroids, with 3 Juno as a close second. It is quite a massive asteroid, in 6th to 8th place. It is the largest Eunomian asteroid, and is estimated to contain 1% of the mass of the asteroid belt.
Fortuna is one of the largest main-belt asteroids. It has a composition similar to 1 Ceres: a darkly colored surface that is heavily space-weathered with the composition of primitive organic compounds, including tholins.
Euphrosyne is a very young asteroid. It is one of the largest asteroids. It was discovered by James Ferguson on September 1, 1854, the first asteroid found from North America. It is named after Euphrosyne, one of the Charites in Greek mythology. In 2019 a small companion was discovered. It is the third-roundest known asteroid ; this is thought to be due to having re-accreted after being disrupted by a collision, and it is not close to hydrostatic equilibrium.
Hestia is a large, dark main-belt asteroid. It is also the primary body of the Hestia clump, a group of asteroids with similar orbits.
Thisbe, minor planet designation 88 Thisbe, is the 13th largest main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on June 15, 1866, and named after Thisbe, heroine of a Roman fable. This asteroid is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.768 AU with a period of 4.60 years and an orbital eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.165. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 5.219° to the ecliptic.
Hekate is a large main-belt asteroid.
Elektra is a large outer main-belt asteroid and quadruple system with three minor-planet moons. It was discovered on 17 February 1873, by astronomer Christian Peters at Litchfield Observatory, New York, and named after Electra, an avenger in Greek mythology.
(84922) 2003 VS2 is a trans-Neptunian object discovered by the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking program on 14 November 2003. Like Pluto, it is in a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune and is thus a plutino. Analysis of light-curve suggests that it is not a dwarf planet.