(
provisional designation
Provisional designation in astronomy is the naming convention applied to astronomical objects immediately following their discovery. The provisional designation is usually superseded by a permanent designation once a reliable orbit has been calcu ...
) is a sub-kilometer
asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
that orbits near
Mars's
Lagrangian point
In celestial mechanics, the Lagrange points (; also Lagrangian points or libration points) are points of equilibrium for small-mass objects under the influence of two massive orbiting bodies. Mathematically, this involves the solution of th ...
, on average trailing
60° behind it. Its orbit is highly stable, and was originally thought to be spectroscopically similar to
5261 Eureka, suggesting they may both be primordial Martian asteroids.
Spectroscopic observations through 2007 indicate that it has a large proportion of metal and
achondrites on its surface (either with or without a
mesosiderite contribution); which could also indicate that the surface
regolith has undergone
space weathering. These observations also reveal differences in the spectra with 5261 Eureka, suggesting they may not be related to each other after all.
See also
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5261 Eureka
5261 Eureka is the first Mars trojan discovered. It was discovered by David H. Levy and Henry Holt at Palomar Observatory on 20 June 1990. It trails Mars (at the ) at a distance varying by only 0.3 AU during each revolution (with a secular t ...
(1990 MB)
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References
External links
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