5381 Sekhmet
Encyclopedia
5381 Sekhmet is an Aten asteroid
whose orbit is sometimes closer to the Sun
than the Earth
's. It was discovered on 14 May 1991 by Carolyn Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory
. It is named after Sekhmet
, the Egyptian goddess
of war.
Sekhmet is believed to be an S-type asteroid
, and to measure approximately 1 km in diameter
.
In May 2005, a team of astronomers at Arecibo Observatory
discovered that the asteroid may have a moon
that measures 300 m in diameter and orbits approximately 1.5 km from Sekhmet. This moon is not yet confirmed.
Aten asteroid
The Aten asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids, named after the first of the group to be discovered . They are defined by having semi-major axes of less than one astronomical unit...
whose orbit is sometimes closer to the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
than the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's. It was discovered on 14 May 1991 by Carolyn Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory is a privately owned observatory located in San Diego County, California, southeast of Pasadena's Mount Wilson Observatory, in the Palomar Mountain Range. At approximately elevation, it is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology...
. It is named after Sekhmet
Sekhmet
In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet , was originally the warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing for Upper Egypt. She is depicted as a lioness, the fiercest hunter known to the Egyptians. It was said that her breath created the desert...
, the Egyptian goddess
Egyptian mythology
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature...
of war.
Sekhmet is believed to be an S-type asteroid
S-type asteroid
S-type asteroids are of a stony composition, hence the name. Approximately 17% of asteroids are of this type, making it the second most common after the C-type.-Characteristics:...
, and to measure approximately 1 km in diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
.
In May 2005, a team of astronomers at Arecibo Observatory
Arecibo Observatory
The Arecibo Observatory is a radio telescope near the city of Arecibo in Puerto Rico. It is operated by SRI International under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation...
discovered that the asteroid may have a moon
Asteroid moon
A minor planet moon is an astronomical body that orbits a minor planet as its natural satellite. It is thought that many asteroids and Kuiper belt objects may possess moons, in some cases quite substantial in size...
that measures 300 m in diameter and orbits approximately 1.5 km from Sekhmet. This moon is not yet confirmed.