![]() | |
Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | H. Goldschmidt |
Discovery site | Paris |
Discovery date | 9 September 1860 |
Designations | |
(61) Danaë | |
Pronunciation | /ˈdæneɪ.iː/ [2] |
Named after | Danaë (Greek mythology) [3] |
1953 RL1 · A917 SM | |
main-belt · (
outer)
[4] background [5] | |
Adjectives | Danaëan /dæneɪˈiːən/ [6] |
Orbital characteristics [1] | |
Epoch 4 September 2017 ( JD 2458000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 151.67 yr (55,398 days) |
Aphelion | 3.4798 AU |
Perihelion | 2.4840 AU |
2.9819 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.1670 |
5.15 yr (1,881 days) | |
157.11 ° | |
0° 11m 29.04s / day | |
Inclination | 18.212° |
333.72° | |
12.695° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 82.04±4.3 km
[7] 82.52±2.73 km [8] 83.56±1.02 km [9] 85.125±1.962 km [10] 85.937±2.151 km [11] 91.00±3.50 km [12] |
Mass | (2.89±2.78)×1018 kg [8] |
Mean
density | 9.81±9.49 g/cm3 [8] |
11.45
h
[13] 11.547±0.001 h [14] | |
0.181±0.034
[12] 0.203±0.014 [11] 0.2065±0.0472 [10] 0.216±0.006 [9] 0.2224±0.025 [7] | |
Tholen =
S
[1] SMASS = S [1] [4] B–V = 0.852 [1] U–B = 0.402 [1] | |
7.56±0.10 [15] · 7.68 [1] [4] [7] [9] [10] [12] · 7.78±0.25 [16] | |
Danaë /ˈdæneɪ.iː/ ( minor planet designation: 61 Danaë) is a stony ( S-type) asteroid in the outer asteroid belt's background population, approximately 84 kilometer in diameter. It was discovered by French astronomer Hermann Goldschmidt on 9 September 1860, from his balcony in Paris, France. [17] Goldschmidt was ill when asked to name the asteroid, and requested his fellow asteroid-hunter Robert Luther to name it instead. Luther chose to name it after Danaë, the mother of Perseus in Greek mythology. [3] Danaë was the first asteroid to have a diacritical character in its official name.
The asteroid is orbiting the Sun with a period of 5.15 years and is rotating on its axis once every 11.45 hours. In 1985, a study of lightcurve data suggested that Danaë may have a moon. If so, the main body would be an ellipsoid measuring 85 km × 80 km × 75 km (53 mi × 50 mi × 47 mi), and the moon would orbit 101 kilometres (63 mi) away, measuring 55 km × 30 km × 30 km (34 mi × 19 mi × 19 mi). The density of both would be 1.1 g/cm3. [18]
![]() | |
Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | H. Goldschmidt |
Discovery site | Paris |
Discovery date | 9 September 1860 |
Designations | |
(61) Danaë | |
Pronunciation | /ˈdæneɪ.iː/ [2] |
Named after | Danaë (Greek mythology) [3] |
1953 RL1 · A917 SM | |
main-belt · (
outer)
[4] background [5] | |
Adjectives | Danaëan /dæneɪˈiːən/ [6] |
Orbital characteristics [1] | |
Epoch 4 September 2017 ( JD 2458000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 151.67 yr (55,398 days) |
Aphelion | 3.4798 AU |
Perihelion | 2.4840 AU |
2.9819 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.1670 |
5.15 yr (1,881 days) | |
157.11 ° | |
0° 11m 29.04s / day | |
Inclination | 18.212° |
333.72° | |
12.695° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 82.04±4.3 km
[7] 82.52±2.73 km [8] 83.56±1.02 km [9] 85.125±1.962 km [10] 85.937±2.151 km [11] 91.00±3.50 km [12] |
Mass | (2.89±2.78)×1018 kg [8] |
Mean
density | 9.81±9.49 g/cm3 [8] |
11.45
h
[13] 11.547±0.001 h [14] | |
0.181±0.034
[12] 0.203±0.014 [11] 0.2065±0.0472 [10] 0.216±0.006 [9] 0.2224±0.025 [7] | |
Tholen =
S
[1] SMASS = S [1] [4] B–V = 0.852 [1] U–B = 0.402 [1] | |
7.56±0.10 [15] · 7.68 [1] [4] [7] [9] [10] [12] · 7.78±0.25 [16] | |
Danaë /ˈdæneɪ.iː/ ( minor planet designation: 61 Danaë) is a stony ( S-type) asteroid in the outer asteroid belt's background population, approximately 84 kilometer in diameter. It was discovered by French astronomer Hermann Goldschmidt on 9 September 1860, from his balcony in Paris, France. [17] Goldschmidt was ill when asked to name the asteroid, and requested his fellow asteroid-hunter Robert Luther to name it instead. Luther chose to name it after Danaë, the mother of Perseus in Greek mythology. [3] Danaë was the first asteroid to have a diacritical character in its official name.
The asteroid is orbiting the Sun with a period of 5.15 years and is rotating on its axis once every 11.45 hours. In 1985, a study of lightcurve data suggested that Danaë may have a moon. If so, the main body would be an ellipsoid measuring 85 km × 80 km × 75 km (53 mi × 50 mi × 47 mi), and the moon would orbit 101 kilometres (63 mi) away, measuring 55 km × 30 km × 30 km (34 mi × 19 mi × 19 mi). The density of both would be 1.1 g/cm3. [18]