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4263 Abashiri, provisional designation 1989 RL₂, is a stony Flora asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers in diameter.

The asteroid was discovered on 7 September 1989, by Japanese astronomers Masayuki Yanai and Kazuro Watanabe at Kitami Observatory in eastern Hokkaidō, Japan. It was named for the Japanese city of Abashiri.

Orbit and classification

Abashiri is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the main-belt. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.9–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,220 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic. Due to a precovery obtained at Palomar Observatory in 1951, the asteroid's observation arc could be extended by 38 years prior to its discovery.

Physical characteristics

Abashiri has been characterized as a stony S-type asteroid.

Rotation period

Between 2008 and 2016, three rotational lightcurves of Abashiri were obtained by Czech astronomer Petr Pravec at Ondřejov Observatory. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of between 4.8817 and 4.88230 hours with a corresponding brightness variation between 0.11 and 0.42 magnitude (U=3/3).

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Abashiri measures 9.0 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.20, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24, derived from 8 Flora, the Flora family's largest member and namesake, and calculates a somewhat smaller diameter of 7.2 kilometers.

Naming

This minor planet was named for the Japanese city of Abashiri, known for its fishing industry. It is located at the Sea of Okhotsk, about 50 kilometers east of Kitami, in the eastern part of the island of Hokkaidō. The minor planets, 3720 Hokkaido and 3785 Kitami are named after the island and city, respectively. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 21 November 1991 (M.P.C. 19336).

Notes

1. ^ Pravec (2012): lightcurve plot of (4263) Abashiri with a rotation period 4.8817±0.0001 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.11 mag, denoted as a secure results (within the precision given and no ambiguity, U=3) by the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL). Summary figures for (4263) Abashiri at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)
2. ^ Pravec (2008): lightcurve plot of (4263) Abashiri with a rotation period 4.8820±0.0002 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.15 mag, denoted as a secure results (within the precision given and no ambiguity, U=3) by the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL). Summary figures for (4263) Abashiri at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)
3. ^ Pravec (2016): lightcurve plot of (4263) Abashiri with a rotation period 4.88230±0.00008 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.42 mag, denoted as a secure results (within the precision given and no ambiguity, U=3) by the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL). Summary figures for (4263) Abashiri at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)

References

1. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4263 Abashiri (1989 RL2)" (2017-02-26 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
2. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(4263) Abashiri". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (4263) Abashiri. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 365. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4224. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
3. ^ "LCDB Data for (4263) Abashiri". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 26 April 2016.
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. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
5. Pravec, Petr; Harris, Alan W.; Kusnirák, Peter; Galád, Adrián; Hornoch, Kamil (September 2012). "Absolute magnitudes of asteroids and a revision of asteroid albedo estimates from WISE thermal observations". Icarus. 221 (1): 365–387. Bibcode:2012Icar..221..365P. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.07.026. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
6. ^ "4263 Abashiri (1989 RL2)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
7. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 April 2016.

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
• 4263 Abashiri at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 4263 Abashiri at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters

• Minor planet object articles (numbered)
• Flora asteroids
• Discoveries by Masayuki Yanai
• Discoveries by Kazuro Watanabe
• Named minor planets
• Astronomical objects discovered in 1989