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3054 Strugatskia, provisional designation 1977 RE₇, is a dark Themistian asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 27 kilometers (17 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 11 September 1977, by Soviet–Russian astronomer Nikolai Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was named after the brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, two Russian science fiction authors.

Orbit and classification

Strugatskia is a Themistian asteroid that belongs to the Themis family (602), a very large family of carbonaceous asteroids, named after 24 Themis. It orbits the Sun in the outer asteroid belt at a distance of 2.4–3.7 AU once every 5 years and 5 months (1,986 days; semi-major axis of 3.09 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.21 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic.

The asteroid was first observed as 1928 UC at Heidelberg Observatory in October 1928. The body's observation arc begins at Goethe Link Observatory in May 1959, more than 18 years prior to its official discovery observation at Nauchnij.

Physical characteristics

Although the asteroid's spectral type is unknown, its albedo indicates a carbonaceous composition, which agrees with C-type classification for the Themistian asteroids.

Rotation period

As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Strugatskia has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Strugatskia measures 26.921 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.056, typical for carbonaceous asteroids.

Naming

This minor planet was named after the brothers Arkady Strugatsky (1925–1991) and Boris Strugatsky (1933–2012), two Russian science fiction authors who often worked in collaboration. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 2 July 1985 (M.P.C. 9771).

References

1. ^ "3054 Strugatskia (1977 RE7)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
2. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3054 Strugatskia (1977 RE7)" (2018-02-26 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
3. ^ "Asteroid 3054 Strugatskia – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
4. ^ 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.
5. ^ 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 9780816532131.
6. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 March 2018.

External links

• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
• Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
• 3054 Strugatskia at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 3054 Strugatskia at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters

• Minor planet object articles (numbered)
• Themis asteroids
• Discoveries by Nikolai Chernykh
• Named minor planets
• Astronomical objects discovered in 1977