51826 Kalpanachawla

51826 Kalpanachawla (provisional designation 2001 OB₃₄) is an Eoan asteroid in the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 19 July 2001, by astronomers of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking program at Palomar Observatory in California, United States. The asteroid was named for Indo-American astronaut and mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

51826 Kalpanachawla

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	NEAT
Discovery site	Palomar Obs.
Discovery date	19 July 2001
Designations
MPC designation	(51826) Kalpanachawla
Named after	Kalpana Chawla[2] (Indo-American astronaut)
Alternative designations	2001 OB34 · 1999 FB57
Minor planet category	main-belt · (outer) Eos[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	22.15 yr (8,090 days)
Aphelion	3.3368 AU
Perihelion	2.8107 AU
Semi-major axis	3.0737 AU
Eccentricity	0.0856
Orbital period (sidereal)	5.39 yr (1,968 days)
Mean anomaly	249.53°
Mean motion	0° 10m 58.44s / day
Inclination	9.5889°
Longitude of ascending node	14.167°
Argument of perihelion	50.931°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	6.947±0.799 km[4]
Geometric albedo	0.160±0.057[4]
Absolute magnitude (H)	14.1[1]

Orbit and classification

Kalpanachawla is a member the Eos family (606),^[3] the largest family in the outer asteroid belt consisting of nearly 10,000 asteroids.^[5]: 23 It orbits the Sun in the outer asteroid belt at a distance of 2.8–3.3 AU once every 5 years and 5 months (1,968 days; semi-major axis of 3.07 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.09 and an inclination of 10° with respect to the ecliptic.^[1]

The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak Observatory in April 1994, more than 7 years prior to its official discovery observation at Palomar.^[6]

Physical characteristics

The asteroid's spectral type is unknown.^[1] Members of the Eos family are typically K-type asteroids.^[5]: 23

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Kalpanachawla measures 6.947 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.160.^[4]

Rotation period

As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve of Kalpanachawla has been obtained from photometric observations. The asteroid's rotation period, poles and shape remain unknown.^[1][7]

Naming

This minor planet was named after Indo-American astronaut and mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 February 2003.^[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 6 August 2003 (M.P.C. 49283).^[8] The following asteroids were also named in memory of the other six members of STS-107: 51823 Rickhusband, 51824 Mikeanderson, 51825 Davidbrown, 51827 Laurelclark, 51828 Ilanramon and 51829 Williemccool.^[2][9]