125 Liberatrix

125 Liberatrix
	A three-dimensional model of 125 Liberatrix based on its light curve.
Discovery
Discovered by	Paul Henry and Prosper Henry
Discovery date	11 September 1872
Designations
MPC designation	(125) Liberatrix
Pronunciation	/ˈlɪbəreɪtrɪks/
Minor planet category	Main belt; (liberatrix)
Orbital characteristics
	Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
	Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	143.54 yr (52428 d)
Aphelion	2.95698 AU (442.358 Gm)
Perihelion	2.53084 AU (378.608 Gm)
Semi-major axis	2.74391 AU (410.483 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.077651
Orbital period (sidereal)	4.55 yr (1660.2 d)
Average orbital speed	17.96 km/s
Mean anomaly	307.971°
Mean motion	0° 13m 0.642s / day
Inclination	4.66407°
Longitude of ascending node	169.003°
Argument of perihelion	109.288°
Earth MOID	1.51912 AU (227.257 Gm)
Jupiter MOID	2.13019 AU (318.672 Gm)
TJupiter	3.340
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	43.58±2.3 km; 61.058 km
Mass	8.7×1016 kg
Mean density	2.0 g/cm³
Equatorial surface gravity	0.0122 m/s²
Equatorial escape velocity	0.0231 km/s
Synodic rotation period	3.968 h (0.1653 d)
Geometric albedo	0.2253±0.026; 0.1305 ± 0.0269
Temperature	~168 K
Spectral type	M (Tholen)
Absolute magnitude (H)	9.04, 8.90

Liberatrix (minor planet designation: 125 Liberatrix) is a main-belt asteroid. It has a relatively reflective surface and an M-type spectrum. Liberatrix is a member of an asteroid family bearing its own name.

Discovery and name

It was discovered by Prosper Henry on September 11, 1872, from Paris. Some sources give Paul Henry sole credit for its discovery.^[5] The asteroid's name is a feminine version of the word "liberator". Henry may have chosen the name to mark the liberation of France from Prussia during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. More specifically, it may honor Adolphe Thiers, the first President of the French Republic, who arranged a loan that enabled the Prussian troops to be removed from France.^[5]

Observations

In the late 1990s, a network of astronomers worldwide gathered lightcurve data to derive the spin states and shape models of 10 asteroids, including Liberatrix. Liberatrix's lightcurve has a large amplitude of 0.4 in magnitude, indicating an elongated or irregular shape.^[4]^[6]

The spectrum of this asteroid matches a M-type asteroid. It may be the remnant of an asteroid that had undergone differentiation, with orthopyroxene minerals scattered evenly across the surface. There is no indication of hydration.^[7]

To date, there have been at least two observed occultations by Liberatrix. Early on December 11, 2014, Liberatrix occulted a 9th magnitude star and will be visible over the majority of Southern California and a swath of Mexico.

References

^ "liberatrix". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. n.d.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Yeomans, Donald K., "125 Liberatrix", JPL Small-Body Database Browser, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, retrieved 12 May 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Pravec, P.; et al. (May 2012), "Absolute Magnitudes of Asteroids and a Revision of Asteroid Albedo Estimates from WISE Thermal Observations", Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2012, Proceedings of the conference held May 16–20, 2012 in Niigata, Japan, no. 1667, Bibcode:2012LPICo1667.6089P.
^ ^a ^b Durech, J.; et al. (April 2007), "Physical models of ten asteroids from an observers' collaboration network", Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 465, no. 1, pp. 331–337, Bibcode:2007A&A...465..331D, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066347.
^ ^a ^b Schmadel Lutz D. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (fifth edition), Springer, 2003. ISBN 3-540-00238-3.
^ Durech, J.; Kaasalainen, M.; Marciniak, A.; Allen, W. H. et al. "Asteroid brightness and geometry," Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 465, Issue 1, April I 2007, pp. 331-337.
^ Hardersen, Paul S.; Gaffey, Michael J.; Abell, Paul A. (January 1983), "Near-IR spectral evidence for the presence of iron-poor orthopyroxenes on the surfaces of six M-type asteroids", Icarus, vol. 175, no. 1, pp. 141–158, Bibcode:2005Icar..175..141H, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.10.017.

External links

125 Liberatrix at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
125 Liberatrix at the JPL Small-Body Database
- Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters

This article about an asteroid native to the asteroid belt is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] "liberatrix". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. n.d.

[JPL-2] Yeomans, Donald K., "125 Liberatrix", JPL Small-Body Database Browser, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, retrieved 12 May 2016.

[Pravec2012-3] Pravec, P.; et al. (May 2012), "Absolute Magnitudes of Asteroids and a Revision of Asteroid Albedo Estimates from WISE Thermal Observations", Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2012, Proceedings of the conference held May 16–20, 2012 in Niigata, Japan, no. 1667, Bibcode:2012LPICo1667.6089P.

[Durech2007-4] Durech, J.; et al. (April 2007), "Physical models of ten asteroids from an observers' collaboration network", Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 465, no. 1, pp. 331–337, Bibcode:2007A&A...465..331D, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066347.

[Lutz-5] Schmadel Lutz D. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (fifth edition), Springer, 2003. ISBN 3-540-00238-3.

[6] Durech, J.; Kaasalainen, M.; Marciniak, A.; Allen, W. H. et al. "Asteroid brightness and geometry," Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 465, Issue 1, April I 2007, pp. 331-337.

[Hardersen1983-7] Hardersen, Paul S.; Gaffey, Michael J.; Abell, Paul A. (January 1983), "Near-IR spectral evidence for the presence of iron-poor orthopyroxenes on the surfaces of six M-type asteroids", Icarus, vol. 175, no. 1, pp. 141–158, Bibcode:2005Icar..175..141H, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.10.017.

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