61 Danaë
Encyclopedia
61 Danaë is a moderately large, rocky main belt asteroid
. It was discovered by Hermann Goldschmidt on September 9, 1860 from his balcony in Paris
.
Goldschmidt was ill when asked to name the asteroid, and requested his fellow asteroid-hunter Robert Luther to name it instead. Luther chose to name it after Danaë
, the mother of Perseus
in Greek mythology
. Danaë was the first asteroid to have a diacritical character in its official name.
In 1985, a study of lightcurve data suggested that Danaë may have a moon
. If so, the main body would be an ellipsoid measuring 85×80×75 km, and the moon would orbit 101 km away, measuring 55×30×30 km. The density of both would be 1.1 g/cm³.http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/asteroidmoonsq.html
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
. It was discovered by Hermann Goldschmidt on September 9, 1860 from his balcony in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Goldschmidt was ill when asked to name the asteroid, and requested his fellow asteroid-hunter Robert Luther to name it instead. Luther chose to name it after Danaë
Danaë
In Greek mythology, Danaë was a daughter of King Acrisius of Argos and Eurydice of Argos. She was the mother of Perseus by Zeus. She was sometimes credited with founding the city of Ardea in Latium....
, the mother of Perseus
Perseus
Perseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
in Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
. Danaë was the first asteroid to have a diacritical character in its official name.
In 1985, a study of lightcurve data suggested that Danaë 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...
. If so, the main body would be an ellipsoid measuring 85×80×75 km, and the moon would orbit 101 km away, measuring 55×30×30 km. The density of both would be 1.1 g/cm³.http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/asteroidmoonsq.html