(385250) 2001 DH47, provisional designation 2001 DH47, is a sub-kilometer asteroid and Mars trojan orbiting 60° behind the orbit of Mars near the L5 point.[2][3]
Discovery | |
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Discovered by | Spacewatch |
Discovery date | 20 February 2001 |
Designations | |
MPC designation | (385250) 2001 DH47 |
Alternative designations | 2001 DH47 |
Minor planet category | Martian L5 ![]() |
Orbital characteristics[1] | |
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 5521 days (15.12 yr) |
Aphelion | 1.5767436 AU (235.87749 Gm) |
Perihelion | 1.4708966 AU (220.04300 Gm) |
Semi-major axis | 1.5238201 AU (227.96024 Gm) |
Eccentricity | 0.0347308 |
Orbital period (sidereal) | 1.88 yr (687.07 d) |
Mean anomaly | 322.37107° |
Mean motion | 0° 31m 26.279s / day |
Inclination | 24.40220° |
Longitude of ascending node | 147.42225° |
Argument of perihelion | 17.54935° |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 0.562 km |
Synodic rotation period | 3.97 h[1] |
Geometric albedo | 0.5–0.05 (assumed) |
Absolute magnitude (H) | 18.9[1] |
2001 DH47 was discovered on 1 February 2001 by the Spacewatch program, observing from Steward Observatory, Kitt Peak[4] and classified as Mars-crosser by the Minor Planet Center. Its orbit is characterized by low eccentricity (0.035), moderate inclination (24.4º) and a semi-major axis of 1.52 AU.[4] Its orbit is well determined as it is currently (March 2013) based on 45 observations with a data-arc span of 3,148 days.[1] It has an absolute magnitude of 19.7 which gives a characteristic diameter of 562 m.[1]
It was identified as Mars trojan by H. Scholl, F. Marzari and P. Tricarico in 2005 and its dynamical half-lifetime was found to be of the order of the age of the Solar System.[2] Recent calculations[3] confirm that it is indeed a stable L5 Mars trojan with a libration period of 1365 yr and an amplitude of 11°. These values as well as its short-term orbital evolution are very similar to those of 5261 Eureka.
Long-term numerical integrations show that its orbit is very stable on Gyr time-scales (1 Gyr = 1 billion years).[2][3] As in the case of Eureka, calculations in both directions of time (4.5 Gyr into the past and 4.5 Gyr into the future) indicate that 2001 DH47 may be a primordial object, perhaps a survivor of the planetesimal population that formed in the terrestrial planets region early in the history of the Solar System.[3]
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