34351 Decatur

34351 Decatur, provisional designation 2000 RZ8, is a Koronis asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 3 September 2000, by American amateur astronomer Loren Ball at his Emerald Lane Observatory in Alabama, United States.[1] The Q-type asteroid was named after the city of Decatur, location of the discovering observatory.[2]

34351 Decatur
Discovery [1]
Discovered byL. Ball
Discovery siteEmerald Lane Obs.
Discovery date3 September 2000
Designations
(34351) Decatur
Named after
Decatur (U.S. city)[2]
2000 RZ8 · 1996 YW3
1998 HF58
main-belt [1][3] · (outer)
Koronis [4]
Orbital characteristics [3]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc26.31 yr (9,609 d)
Aphelion3.1502 AU
Perihelion2.7415 AU
2.9458 AU
Eccentricity0.0694
5.06 yr (1,847 d)
108.47°
0° 11m 41.64s / day
Inclination1.2964°
343.30°
85.412°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
3.54±0.27 km[5]
0.224±0.043[5]
Q (SDSS-MOC)[4][6]
14.7[1][3]

    Orbit and classification

    Decatur is a member of the Koronis family (605),[4] a very large outer asteroid family with nearly co-planar ecliptical orbits.[7] It orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.7–3.2 AU once every 5 years and 1 month (1,847 days; semi-major axis of 2.95 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.07 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[3] The asteroid's observation arc begins 8 years prior to its official discovery observation, with a precovery taken by the Steward Observatory's Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak in January 1992.[1]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named after the city of Decatur in the U.S. state of Alabama, location of the discovering observatory and home of the discoverer. Decatur is located near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 27 April 2002 (M.P.C. 45345).[8]

    Physical characteristics

    In the SDSS-based taxonomy, Decatur is a Q-type asteroid,[4][6] while members of the Koronis family are typically S-type asteroid.[7]:23 According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Decatur measures 3.54 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.224.[5]

    Rotation period

    As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Decatur has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.[3][9]

    References
    1. "34351 Decatur (2000 RZ8)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
    2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(34351) Decatur". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (34351) Decatur. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 891. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_9989. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 34351 Decatur (2000 RZ8)" (2018-04-23 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
    4. "Asteroid 34351 Decatur". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
    5. Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
    6. Carvano, J. M.; Hasselmann, P. H.; Lazzaro, D.; Mothé-Diniz, T. (February 2010). "SDSS-based taxonomic classification and orbital distribution of main belt asteroids". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 510: 12. Bibcode:2010A&A...510A..43C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913322. Retrieved 30 October 2019. (PDS data set)
    7. Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families. Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 9780816532131.
    8. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
    9. "LCDB Data for (34351) Decatur". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 27 June 2018.

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