7742 Altamira

7742 Altamira, provisional designation 1985 US, is a Henan asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Czech astronomer Antonín Mrkos at the South Bohemian Kleť Observatory in the Czech Republic, on 20 October 1985.[9] It was named for the Cave of Altamira in Spain.[2]

7742 Altamira
Discovery [1]
Discovered byA. Mrkos
Discovery siteKleť Obs.
Discovery date20 October 1985
Designations
(7742) Altamira
Named after
Cave of Altamira
(World Heritage Site)[2]
1985 US · 1996 BP2
main-belt · (middle)
Henan [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc31.07 yr (11,349 days)
Aphelion2.9419 AU
Perihelion2.4989 AU
2.7204 AU
Eccentricity0.0814
4.49 yr (1,639 days)
8.9755°
0° 13m 10.92s / day
Inclination4.1454°
124.91°
293.48°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions6.477±0.174 km[4][5]
8.74 km (calculated)[6]
2.700±0.010 h[7]
0.057 (assumed)[6]
0.184±0.038[4][5]
L [8] · C (assumed)[6]
13.6[1] · 13.570±0.090 (R)[7] · 13.64±0.22[8] · 13.4[4] · 14.02[6]

    Orbit and classification

    Altamira is a member of the Henan family (532),[3] a large asteroid family in the intermediate main-belt, named after 2085 Henan.[10]:23 It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 2.5–2.9 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,639 days; semi-major axis of 2.72 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.08 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The body's observation arc begins at Palomar Observatory in May 1988, two and a half years after its official discovery observation at Klet.[9]

    Physical characteristics

    Spectral type

    Altamira has been characterized as an L-type asteroid by Pan-STARRS photometric survey,[8] which agrees with the overall spectral type for members of the Henan family.[10]:23

    Rotation period

    In January 2014, a rotational lightcurve of Altamira was obtained from photometric observation by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a short rotation period of 2.7 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.11 magnitude (U=2).[7]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Altamira measures 6.5 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.184.[4][5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and consequently calculates a larger diameter of 8.7 kilometers.[6]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named after the famous Cave of Altamira, located in northern Spain. Discovered in 1879, its prehistoric cave paintings feature drawings of wild bison, deer, horses and boar, as well as handprints of the artists who created them. The cave with its paintings has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The asteroid's name was proposed by Czech astronomer Miloš Tichý.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 24 June 2002 (M.P.C. 46008).[11]

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 7742 Altamira (1985 US)" (2016-11-15 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
    2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(7742) Altamira". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (7742) Altamira. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 613. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_6653. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. "Asteroid 7742 Altamira – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
    4. Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
    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 4 December 2016.
    6. "LCDB Data for (7742) Altamira". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 13 May 2016.
    7. Chang, Chan-Kao; Ip, Wing-Huen; Lin, Hsing-Wen; Cheng, Yu-Chi; Ngeow, Chow-Choong; Yang, Ting-Chang; et al. (August 2015). "Asteroid Spin-rate Study Using the Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 219 (2): 19. arXiv:1506.08493. Bibcode:2015ApJS..219...27C. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/219/2/27. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
    8. Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
    9. "7742 Altamira (1985 US)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
    10. 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.
    11. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 May 2016.

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