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Main-belt asteroid From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
81 Terpsichore is a large and very dark main-belt asteroid. It has most probably a very primitive carbonaceous composition. It was found by the prolific comet discoverer Ernst Tempel on 30 September 1864.[4] It is named after Terpsichore, the Muse of dance in Greek mythology.
Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Ernst Wilhelm Tempel |
Discovery date | 30 September 1864 |
Designations | |
(81) Terpsichore | |
Pronunciation | /tɜːrpˈsɪxərɛ/[1] |
Named after | Terpsichore |
Main belt | |
Adjectives | Terpsichorean /tɜːrpsɪxəˈriːən/[1] |
Orbital characteristics | |
Epoch 31 December 2006 (JD 2454100.5) | |
Aphelion | 516.955 Gm (3.456 AU) |
Perihelion | 337.132 Gm (2.254 AU) |
427.044 Gm (2.855 AU) | |
Eccentricity | 0.211 |
1761.647 d (4.82 a) | |
Average orbital speed | 17.43 km/s |
149.581° | |
Inclination | 7.809° |
1.497° | |
50.234° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 121.77 ± 2.34 km[2] |
Mass | (6.19 ± 5.31) × 1018 kg[2] |
Mean density | 6.54 ± 5.62 g/cm3[2] |
10.943 hr | |
0.051 [3] | |
C | |
8.48 | |
Photometric observations of the minor planet in 2011 gave a rotation period of 10.945±0.001 h with an amplitude of 0.09±0.01 in magnitude. This result is consistent with previous determinations.[5] Two stellar occultation events involving this asteroid were observed from multiple sites in 2009. The resulting chords matched a smooth elliptical cross-section with dimensions of 134.0±4.0 km × 108.9±0.7 km.[6]
A space station orbiting 81 Terpsichore is the main setting in the science fiction story The Dark Colony (Asteroid Police Book 1) by Richard Penn.
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