3841 Dicicco, provisional designation 1983 VG₇, is a stony Florian asteroid and synchronous binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 4 November 1983, by American astronomer Brian Skiff at Lowell's Anderson Mesa Station near Flagstaff, Arizona, in the United States.[11] It was named after American astronomer Dennis di Cicco.[2] Its minor-planet moon, provisionally designated S/2014 (3841) 1, was discovered in 2014.[5]

Orbit and classification

Dicicco is member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the inner main-belt. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.9–2.6 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,252 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.16 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

It was first identified as 1973 YM₂ at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1973, extending the body's observation arc by 10 years prior to its official discovery observation at Anderson Mesa.[11]

Physical characteristics

Dicicco is a stony S-type asteroid in the SMASS classification.[1]

Rotation period

In December 2014, two rotational lightcurves of Dicicco were obtained from photometric observations by an international collaboration of American and European astronomers. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 3.5949 and 3.5950 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.18 and 0.19 magnitude, respectively (U=3/n.a.).[5][lower-alpha 1]

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Dicicco measures between 4.74 and 6.45 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.294 and 0.38.[6][7][8][9] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 — derived from 8 Flora, the family's largest member and namesake – and derives a diameter of 5.10 kilometers using an absolute magnitude of 13.63.[3]

Satellite

During the photometric observations made in December 2014, it was revealed that Dicicco is a synchronous binary asteroid. Its minor-planet moon, designated S/2014 (3841) 1 measures at least 1.67 kilometers in diameter based on a diameter-ratio of larger than 0.28.[4] Its orbit has an estimated semi-major axis of 12 kilometers, and a derived period of 21.63 and 21.641 hours, respectively.[5][lower-alpha 1]

Naming

This minor planet was named after American amateur astronomer and astrophotographer Dennis di Cicco.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 10 April 1990 (M.P.C. 16246).[12]

Notes

References

External links

• Asteroids with Satellites, Robert Johnston, johnstonsarchive.net
• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
• Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
• 3841 Dicicco at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 3841 Dicicco at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters