120375 Kugel, provisional designation: 2005 PB₆, is a background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 10 August 2005, by French amateur astronomer Claudine Rinner at her Ottmarsheim Observatory ( 224) in France. ^[1] The stony S/ Q-type asteroid in the region of the Florian clan has a tentative rotation period of 6.9 hours. ^[5] It was named after French astronomer François Kugel. ^[1]

Orbit and classification

Kugel is a non- family asteroid of the main belt's background population when applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements. ^{[3] [4]} Based on osculating Keplerian orbital elements, the asteroid has also been considered a member of the Flora family ( 402), a giant asteroid clan and the largest family of stony asteroids in the main belt. ^[5]

It orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 1.8–2.8  AU once every 3 years and 6 months (1,289 days; semi-major axis of 2.32 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 3 ° with respect to the ecliptic. ^[2] The body's observation arc begins with its first observation as 1998 SM₁₀₈ at Lincoln Laboratory ETS in September 1998, nearly 7 years prior to its official discovery observation at Ottmarsheim. ^[1]

Naming

This minor planet was named after French amateur astronomer François Kugel (born 1959), an active observer of comets and a collaborator of the discoverer. He has founded the Chante-Perdrix Observatory ( A77) in 2005. ^[1] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 6 August 2009 ( M.P.C. 66728). ^[8]

Physical characteristics

In the SDSS-based taxonomy, Kugel has an SQ-type that transitions between the common S-type and less common Q-type asteroids. ^[7]

Rotation period

In August 2012, a rotational lightcurve of Kugel was obtained from photometric observations in the R-band by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a tentative rotation period of 6.923±0.0085 hours with a weak brightness amplitude of 0.09 magnitude ( U=1). ^[6] As of 2021, no secure period has been obtained. ^[5]

Diameter and albedo

Kugel has not been observed by any of the space-based surveys such as the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the Akari satellite or IRAS. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora the parent body of the Flora family – and calculates a diameter of 1.05 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 17.07. ^[5]

References

External links

• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form ( info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (120001)-(125000) – Minor Planet Center
• 120375 Kugel at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 120375 Kugel at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters