2980 Cameron, provisionally designated 1981 EU17, is a main-belt asteroid discovered by prolific American astronomer Schelte Bus at Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, on March 2, 1981. It orbits the Sun every 4.11 years at a distance of 2.1–3.0 AU.[1]

2980 Cameron
Discovery [1]
Discovered byS. J. Bus
Discovery siteSiding Spring Obs.
Discovery date2 March 1981
Designations
(2980) Cameron
Named after
Alastair Cameron[2]
1981 EU17 · 1977 EL3
1979 SQ7
main-belt
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc39.87 yr (14,564 days)
Aphelion3.0324 AU
Perihelion2.1023 AU
2.5673 AU
Eccentricity0.1811
4.11 yr (1,503 days)
36.213°
0° 14m 22.56s / day
Inclination7.2772°
172.24°
254.25°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions5.121±0.183[3]
0.322±0.047[3]
13.4[1]

The asteroid was named after astrophysicist and cosmogonist Alastair G. W. Cameron (1925–2005), who was associate director for theoretical astrophysics at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He was an early advocate of the concepts of a turbulent accretion disk solar nebula, and of the origin of the Moon by a giant impact on the proto-Earth. He also studied the nucleosynthesis in stars and supernovae, and the cosmic abundances of nuclides.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2980 Cameron (1981 EU17)" (2017-01-28 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). "(2980) Cameron". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2980) Cameron. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 245. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2981. ISBN 978-3-540-29925-7.
  3. ^ a b Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
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