6433 Enya, provisional designation 1978 WC, is a stony background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 18 November 1978, by Czech astronomer Antonín Mrkos at the Kleť Observatory in the Czech Republic.[10] It was named for Irish musician Enya.[2]

6433 Enya
Discovery [1]
Discovered byA. Mrkos
Discovery siteKleť Obs.
Discovery date18 November 1978
Designations
(6433) Enya
Named after
Enya (Irish musician)[2]
1978 WC · 1952 UH
1989 WZ4
main-belt · (inner)[3]
background
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc64.53 yr (23,568 days)
Aphelion2.9085 AU
Perihelion1.8673 AU
2.3879 AU
Eccentricity0.2180
3.69 yr (1,348 days)
191.23°
0° 16m 1.56s / day
Inclination8.6309°
87.329°
317.28°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions3.68 km (calculated)[3]
6.69±0.97 km[4]
7.08±1.79 km[5]
7.416±0.165 km[6][7]
7.400±0.0064 h[8]
0.06±0.04[5]
0.081±0.012[6][7]
0.090±0.025[4]
0.20 (assumed)[3]
S[3]
14.0[6] · 14.00±0.55[9] · 14.087±0.003 (R)[8] · 14.10[4] · 14.3[1] · 14.37[5] · 14.54[3]

Orbit and classification

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Enya is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 1.9–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 8 months (1,348 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 9° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] Enya was first identified as 1952 UH at Goethe Link Observatory in 1952. The body's observation arc, however, begins with its official discovery observation at Kleť in 1978.[10]

Physical characteristics

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Enya is a presumed S-type asteroid.[3]

Rotation period

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In March 2013, a fragmentary rotational lightcurve of Enya was obtained from photometric observations at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 7.4 hours with a brightness variation of 0.08 magnitude (U=1).[8]

As of 2017, no other lightcurve has since been obtained from Enya.[3]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Enya measures between 6.69 and 7.416 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo between 0.012 and 0.090.[4][5][6][7]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 3.68 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 14.54.[3]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (born 1961), known as Enya, an Irish singer, songwriter, musician, and producer.[2] Naming was proposed by G. V. Williams and published on 20 June 1997 (M.P.C. 30099).[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 6433 Enya (1978 WC)" (2017-05-02 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(6433) Enya". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (6433) Enya. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 532. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_5865. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "LCDB Data for (6433) Enya". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv:1209.5794. Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8. S2CID 46350317. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Nugent, C. R.; Mainzer, A.; Bauer, J.; Cutri, R. M.; Kramer, E. A.; Grav, T.; et al. (September 2016). "NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year Two: Asteroid Diameters and Albedos". The Astronomical Journal. 152 (3): 12. arXiv:1606.08923. Bibcode:2016AJ....152...63N. doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/63.
  6. ^ a b c d Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. S2CID 35447010.
  7. ^ a b c 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. S2CID 118745497. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  8. ^ a b c Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. S2CID 8342929. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  9. ^ Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. S2CID 53493339. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  10. ^ a b "6433 Enya (1978 WC)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  11. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
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