7784 Watterson

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7784 Watterson
Discovery [1]
Discovered by T. B. Spahr
Discovery site Catalina Station
Discovery date 5 August 1994
Designations
MPC designation 7784 Watterson
Named after
Bill Watterson
(cartoonist)[2]
1994 PL
main-belt · Phocaea[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 62.19 yr (22,716 days)
Aphelion 2.8033 AU
Perihelion 1.7317 AU
2.2675 AU
Eccentricity 0.2362
3.41 yr (1,247 days)
107.42°
Inclination 23.339°
220.69°
107.00°
Earth MOID 0.8541 AU
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 5.556±0.070 km[4]
5.53 km (calculated)[3]
2.539±0.001 h[lower-alpha 1]
0.1894±0.0218[4]
0.23 (assumed)[3]
S[3]
13.5[1][3]
13.7[4]

7784 Watterson, provisional designation 1994 PL, is a stony asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, about 6 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Timothy Spahr at the U.S. Catalina Station, Arizona, on 5 August 1994.[2]

The S-type asteroid is a member of the Phocaea family, a group of asteroids with similar orbital characteristics. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.7–2.8 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,247 days). Its orbit shows an eccentricity of 0.24 and an inclination of 23 degrees from the plane of the ecliptic.[1]

In 2011, a photometric light-curve analysis by astronomer Brian Skiff gave a rotation period of 2.539±0.001 hours with a relatively low brightness amplitude of 0.10 in magnitude, indicative of a nearly spheroidal shape (U=3-).[lower-alpha 1] According to the surveys carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), the asteroid has an albedo of 0.19 and a diameter of 5.6 kilometers.[4] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link agrees with WISE's observations and assumes a slightly higher albedo of 0.23 and calculates a diameter of 5.5 kilometers.[3]

The minor planet is named after Bill Watterson (b. 1958), cartoonist of the daily comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. Syndicated from 1985 to 1995, this strip is fondly remembered and treasured by the discoverer, and helped him stay awake and sane on long observing nights and during the trials and tribulations of graduate school.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Skiff (2011) web: rotation period 2.539±0.001 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.10 mag. CALL assigns a Quality Code of 3-, which denotes a slightly less than secure result within the precision given and no ambiguity. Summary figures at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) for (7784) Watterson
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links


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