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45737 Benita (provisional designation 2000 HB) is a bright asteroid located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It has an estimated diameter of approximately 5 kilometers. The asteroid was discovered on April 22, 2000, by Bruce Segal, an American amateur astronomer, at the Florida Atlantic University's Jupiter Observatory (837) in Boca Raton, Florida.

Orbit and classification

Benita is a non-family asteroid that belongs to the background population of the main belt. It orbits the Sun in the outer region of the asteroid belt, at a distance of 3.0–3.3 AU. It completes one orbit around the Sun every 5 years and 9 months (2,087 days) with a semi-major axis of approximately 3.20 AU. The orbit of Benita is slightly eccentric, with an eccentricity of 0.05, and it is inclined at an angle of 10° with respect to the ecliptic plane. The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken at Lincoln Laboratory's ETS, New Mexico, on 30 October 1997.

Physical characteristics

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Benita measures 5.121 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.294.

Rotation period

As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve of Benita has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, poles and shape remain unknown.

Naming

The discoverer named this minor planet after his wife, Benita Segal (born 1964), a major supporter of the observatory. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 20 November 2002 (M.P.C. 47170).

References

1. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 45737 Benita (2000 HB)" (2017-03-30 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
2. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(45737) Benita". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (45737) Benita. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 895. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_10039. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
3. ^ "Asteroid 45737 Benita – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
4. ^ 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 30 November 2017.
5. ^ "45737 Benita (2000 HB)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
6. "LCDB Data for (45737) Benita". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 30 November 2017.
7. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 30 November 2017.

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 (45001)-(50000) – Minor Planet Center
• 45737 Benita at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 45737 Benita at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters

• Minor planet object articles (numbered)
• Background asteroids
• Named minor planets
• Astronomical objects discovered in 2000