astro.wikisort.org - Asteroid

4276 Clifford, provisional designation1981 XA is an asteroid and sizable Mars-crosser from the innermost region of the asteroid belt, approximately 4.4 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 2 December 1981, by American astronomers Edward Bowell at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, United States. The asteroid was named in honor of astronomer and writer Clifford Cunningham.[3]

4276 Clifford

Discovery [1]
Discovered by	E. Bowell
Discovery site	Lowell Obs.
Discovery date	2 December 1981
Designations
MPC designation	(4276) Clifford
Named after	Clifford Cunningham (Canadian astronomer)[2]
Alternative designations	1981 XA
Minor planet category	Mars-crosser [1][3] · main belt
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	35.67 yr (13,027 days)
Aphelion	2.4195 AU
Perihelion	1.5994 AU
Semi-major axis	2.0095 AU
Eccentricity	0.2041
Orbital period (sidereal)	2.85 yr (1,040 days)
Mean anomaly	186.63°
Mean motion	0° 20m 45.6s / day
Inclination	21.033°
Longitude of ascending node	76.881°
Argument of perihelion	3.5494°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	4.441±1.128 km[4]
Geometric albedo	0.142±0.107[4]
Spectral type	SMASS = Cb [1]
Absolute magnitude (H)	14.6[1]

Orbit and classification

Clifford is a member of the group of main-belt asteroids known as Mars-crosser asteroids, specifically, it is listed as an Outer-grazer.^{[citation needed]} It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.6–2.4 AU once every 2 years and 10 months (1,040 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.20 and an inclination of 21° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

Physical characteristics

In the SMASS classification, Clifford is a Cb-type, which transitions from the carbonaceous C-type asteroids to the rare B-type asteroids.[1]

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Clifford measures 4.441 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.142.[4] As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve has been obtained of Clifford. Its rotation period and shape remain unknown.[5]

Naming

This minor planet was named after Canadian astronomer and author Clifford Cunningham, who is best known for his 1988 published book Introduction to Asteroids and 5-volume history of asteroid studies published by Springer in 2016 and 2017. He received his PhD in the history of astronomy in 2015. His astronomical work includes astrometry and photometry of minor planets.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 10 April 1990 (M.P.C. 16248).[6]

References

External links

• 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
• 4276 Clifford at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 4276 Clifford at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters

На других языках

---

[de] (4276) Clifford

(4276) Clifford ist ein die Marsbahn kreuzender Hauptgürtelasteroid, der am 2. Dezember 1981 von Edward L. G. Bowell vom Lowell-Observatorium aus entdeckt wurde.

---

- [en] 4276 Clifford

---

[ru] (4276) Клиффорд

(4276) Клиффорд (лат. Clifford) — астероид, относящийся к группе астероидов, пересекающих орбиту Марса. Он был открыт 2 декабря 1981 года американским астрономом Эдвардом Боуэллом в обсерватория Андерсон-Меса и назван в честь канадского астронома Клиффорда Каннингема[en].[1]

---

---