274301 Wikipedia
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovery site | Andrushivka Observatory |
| Discovery date | August 25, 2008 |
| Designations | |
Designation | 274301 Wikipedia |
Named after | Wikipedia |
| 2008 QH24 | |
| main belt asteroid | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Aphelion | 2.7304718 AU (408,472,767.286 km) |
| Perihelion | 2.0353200 AU (304,479,538.193 km) |
| 2.3828959 AU (356,476,152.740 km) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1458628 |
| 1343.5568054 days 3.68 years | |
| 105.33152° | |
| Inclination | 6.72984° |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 16.9 | |
(274301) Wikipedia (provisional designation 2008 QH24) is a main belt asteroid. It was discovered at Andrushivka Astronomical Observatory in August 2008. The asteroid was named after the Wikipedia encyclopedia in January 2013.[2]
Discovery
The asteroid was discovered by the team of astronomers of Andrushivka Astronomical Observatory (A50) in Ukraine. At first it was observed by that team on August 25, 2008 at 22:47 (UTC).[3] It was also observed on the next night and it received provisional designation 2008 QH24.[4] After it was also observed on September 6 by the Andrushivka team, the orbit of the asteroid was calculated accurately. It was shown that the asteroid 2008 QH24 is the same as 1997 RO4 and 2007 FK34 previously spotted by observatories Caussols-ODAS (France), Mt. Lemmon Survey and Steward Observatory (both in Arizona, USA).[3]
On April 18, 2011 the minor planet received the number 274301.[5]
Name
The decision of the Committee for Small Body Nomenclature to assign the name "Wikipedia" to the asteroid was published in the Minor Planet Circular of January 27, 2013, page 82403.[2] The name was proposed by a board member of Wikimedia Ukraine, Andriy Makukha. It was submitted to the Committee by the owner of the observatory, Yuri Ivashchenko.[6]
The official citation of the name says:[2][7]
Wikipedia is a free, copyleft, collaboratively edited online encyclopedia launched in 2001. In 11 years of its compilation it became one of the largest reference works and one of the most visited web-sites on the Internet. It is developed in more than 270 languages by enthusiasts from all over the world.
See also
References
- ^ 274301 Wikipedia at the JPL Small-Body Database
- ^ a b c IAU Minor Planet Circular 82403 (January 27, 2013)
- ^ a b Minor Planet Center (January 30, 2013). "(274301) Wikipedia = 1997 RO4 = 2007 FK34 = 2008 QH24".
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|pub=(help) - ^ Minor Planet Center (September 14, 2008). "MPS 255948" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|pub=(help) - ^ Minor Planet Center (April 18, 2011). "MPC 74684" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|pub=(help) - ^ RegioNews (January 31, 2013). "Астероїд, відкритий в Україні, було названо «Вікіпедія»".
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|pub=(help) - ^ Minor Planet Center (January 30, 2013). "Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (270001)-(275000)".