14627 Emilkowalski (prov. designation: 1998 VA) is a stony asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 7 November 1998, by American astronomer Richard Kowalski at the Quail Hollow Observatory (761) in Zephyrhills, Florida, United States.[11] The asteroid is the namesake of the recently formed Emilkowalski family of asteroids.[3] It was named after Emil Kowalski, mentor of the discoverer.[2]

14627 Emilkowalski
Emilkowalski modeled from its lightcurve
Discovery[1]
Discovered byR. A. Kowalski
Discovery siteQuail Hollow Obs. (761)
Discovery date7 November 1998
Designations
(14627) Emilkowalski
Named after
Emil Kowalski
(discoverer's family)[2]
1998 VA
main-belt · (middle)
Emilkowalski[3]: 24 
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc62.93 yr (22,985 days)
Aphelion2.9885 AU
Perihelion2.2112 AU
2.5998 AU
Eccentricity0.1495
4.19 yr (1,531 days)
151.54°
0° 14m 6.36s / day
Inclination17.751°
41.443°
44.474°
Physical characteristics
6.98±2.55 km[4]
7.105±0.106 km[5][6]
7.84±2.33 km[7]
10.61 km (calculated)[8]
11.131±0.005 h[a]
11.131 h[9]
0.057 (assumed)[8]
0.09±0.10[7]
0.120±0.108[4]
0.201±0.017[5][6]
C[8] · DL[10] · S[3]
13.1[5] · 13.38 (R)[9] · 13.6[1][8] · 13.7[4] · 13.85[7] · 14.19±0.75[10]

Orbit and classification

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Emilkowalski orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.2–3.0 AU once every 4 years and 2 months (1,531 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 18° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The first unused observation at Palomar Observatory (DSS) dates back to 1953. The first used precovery was taken at Siding Spring Observatory in 1975, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 23 years prior to its discovery.[11]

Emilkowalski family

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Emilkowalski is the biggest member and namesake of a collisional group of asteroids, that resulted from the destruction of a larger parent body. The disruption happened approximately 220,000 years ago and it is one of the most recent asteroid breakups discovered in the main belt.[9][12] The recently formed stony Emilkowalski family (family identification number: 523) consist of only 4 identified members.[3]: 8, 24  The other members are (126761) 2002 DW10, (224559) 2005 WU178 and (256124) 2006 UK337.[13]

Naming

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This minor planet is named after American Emil Kowalski (1918–1994) from Syosset, New York, who inspired the discoverer of space science when he was still a child.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 4 August 2001 (M.P.C. 43192).[14]

Physical characteristics

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Emilkowalski has been characterized as a rare DL-type by Pan-STARRS photometric survey.[10] It has also been assigned a taxonomic type of a darker carbonaceous and a common stony asteroid, respectively.[8][3]: 24 

Rotation period

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Between January and March 2012, photometric observations for this asteroid were made by a team led by Petr Pravec at Ondřejov Observatory, Czech Republic. The three obtained rotational lightcurves gave an identical period of 11.131 hours with a brightness variation of 0.55, 0.64 and 0.65 in magnitude, respectively (U=3/2+/3-).[a] Previously, in 2008, a lightcurve was obtained from observations at the Simeiz Observatory and the Chuguev Observing Station (121) in Ukraine, as well as at Maidanak Observatory in Uzbekistan. It also gave a period of 11.131 hours with an amplitude of 0.85 in magnitude, which implies an elongated shape (U=n.a.).[9]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the surveys carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Emilkowalski measures between 6.98 and 7.84 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.09 and 0.201.[4][5][6][7]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and hence calculates a larger diameter of 10.6 kilometers.[8]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Pravec (2012) web: 3 rotational light-curves constructed in January, February and March 2012, gave a rotation period 11.131 hours (for all three lightcurves) with a brightness amplitude of 0.55, 0.64 and 0.66 in magnitude, respectively. Summary figures for (14627) Emilkowalski at LCDB and at Ondrejov Asteroid Photometry Project

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 14627 Emilkowalski (1998 VA)" (2017-05-05 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(14627) Emilkowalski". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 815. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_9030. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 978-0-8165-3213-1.
  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. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. ^ 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. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. ^ 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. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (14627) Emilkowalski". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d Krugly; et al. (May 2008). Photometry of asteroids: detection of the YORP effect (PDF). The Solar System Bodies: from Optics to Geology. Kharkiv, Ukraine: Astronomical Institute of Kharkiv. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
  10. ^ a b c 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. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  11. ^ a b "14627 Emilkowalski (1998 VA)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  12. ^ Nesvorný, D.; Vokrouhlický, D. (November 2006). "New Candidates for Recent Asteroid Breakups". The Astronomical Journal. 132 (5): 1950–1958. Bibcode:2006AJ....132.1950N. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.693.3963. doi:10.1086/507989. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  13. ^ Broz, M.; Morbidelli, A.; Bottke, W. F.; Rozehnal, J.; Vokrouhlický, D.; Nesvorný, D. (March 2013). "Constraining the cometary flux through the asteroid belt during the late heavy bombardment". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 551: 16. arXiv:1301.6221. Bibcode:2013A&A...551A.117B. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219296.
  14. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
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