196 Philomela
A three-dimensional model of 196 Philomela based on its light curve. | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | C. H. F. Peters, 1879 |
| Discovery date | 14 May 1879 |
| Designations | |
| (196) Philomela | |
| Pronunciation | /fɪloʊˈmiːlə/ |
| A879 JA; 1934 JO | |
| Main belt | |
| Adjectives | Philomelian /fɪloʊˈmiːliən/ |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 136.91 yr (50005 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.1723 AU (474.57 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 3.0630 AU (458.22 Gm) |
| 3.1177 AU (466.40 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.017530 |
| 5.50 yr (2010.7 d) | |
| 276.49° | |
| 0° 10m 44.544s / day | |
| Inclination | 7.2554° |
| 72.384° | |
| 195.69° | |
| Earth MOID | 2.04771 AU (306.333 Gm) |
| Jupiter MOID | 1.83421 AU (274.394 Gm) |
| TJupiter | 3.204 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 136.39±6.3 km 145.29 ± 7.71 km |
| Mass | (4.00 ± 1.53) × 1018 kg |
Mean density | 2.48 ± 1.02 g/cm3 |
| 8.3340 h (0.34725 d) 8.332827 hours | |
| 0.2299±0.023 | |
| S | |
| 6.54 | |
196 Philomela is a large and bright main-belt asteroid. It is an S-type asteroid.
It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on May 14, 1879, in Clinton, New York and named after Philomela, the woman who became a nightingale in Greek mythology.
In the late 1990s, a network of astronomers worldwide gathered light curve data that was ultimately used to derive the spin states and shape models of 10 new asteroids, including 196 Philomela. The shape model for this asteroid is described as asymmetrical and smooth, while the light curve varies by up to 0.4 in magnitude.
To date there have been two reported Philomelian stellar occultations.