704 Interamnia
Encyclopedia
704 Interamnia is a very large asteroid
, with an estimated diameter
of 350 kilometres. Its mean distance from the Sun
is 3.067 (AU
). It was discovered on October 2, 1910 by Vincenzo Cerulli
, and named after the Latin
name for Teramo
, Italy
, where Cerulli worked. It is probably the fifth-most-massive asteroid after Ceres, Vesta
, Pallas
, and Hygiea
, with a mass estimated to be 1.2% of the mass of the entire asteroid belt.
s, but there exist very few details of its internal composition or shape, and no lightcurve analysis has yet been done to determine the ecliptic coordinates of Interamnia's poles (and hence its axial tilt
). Its apparently high bulk density (though subject to much error) suggests an extremely solid body entirely without internal porosity or traces of water
. This also strongly suggests that Interamnia is large enough to have fully withstood all the collisions that have occurred in the asteroid belt since the Solar System
was formed.
Its very dark surface and relatively large distance from the Sun means Interamnia can never be seen with 10x50 binoculars
. At most oppositions its magnitude
is around +11.0, which is less than the minimum brightness of Vesta, Ceres or Pallas. Even at a perihelic
opposition its magnitude is only +9.9, which is over four magnitudes lower than Vesta.
Its orbit is slightly more eccentric that that of Hygiea (15% versus 12%) but differs from Hygiea's in its much greater inclination
and slightly shorter period. Another difference is that Interamnia's perihelion is located on the opposite side from the perihelia of the "big four", so that Interamnia at perihelion is actually closer to the Sun than Ceres and Pallas are at the same longitude. It is unlikely to collide with Pallas because their nodes are located too far apart, whilst although its nodes are located on the opposite side from those of Ceres, it is generally clear of Ceres when both cross the same orbital plane and a collision is again unlikely.
of a bright 6.6 magnitude
star on March 23, 2003, produced thirty-five chords
indicating an ellipsoid of 350×304 km.
, 29 Amphitrite
, and 16 Psyche
; thus this mass was obtained assuming an incomplete dynamical model.
In 2007, Baer and Chesley estimated Interamnia to have a mass of (7.12±0.84) kg. , Baer suggests Interamnia has a mass of only (3.90±0.18) kg. This makes it more massive than 511 Davida
. though the error bar
s overlap.
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...
, with an estimated 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...
of 350 kilometres. Its mean distance from 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...
is 3.067 (AU
Astronomical unit
An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance....
). It was discovered on October 2, 1910 by Vincenzo Cerulli
Vincenzo Cerulli
Vincenzo Cerulli was an Italian astronomer who owned a private observatory in Teramo, where he was born.Cerulli compiled a star catalog with Elia Millosevich...
, and named after the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name for Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where Cerulli worked. It is probably the fifth-most-massive asteroid after Ceres, Vesta
4 Vesta
Vesta, formally designated 4 Vesta, is one of the largest asteroids, with a mean diameter of about . It was discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers on March 29, 1807, and is named after the Roman virgin goddess of home and hearth, Vesta....
, Pallas
2 Pallas
Pallas, formally designated 2 Pallas, is the second asteroid to have been discovered , and one of the largest. It is estimated to constitute 7% of the mass of the asteroid belt, and its diameter of 530–565 km is comparable to, or slightly larger than, that of 4 Vesta. It is however 20%...
, and Hygiea
10 Hygiea
10 Hygiea is an asteroid located in the asteroid belt. With somewhat oblong diameters of 350–500 km, and a mass estimated to be 2.9% of the total mass of the belt, it is the fourth largest asteroid by volume and mass...
, with a mass estimated to be 1.2% of the mass of the entire asteroid belt.
Characteristics
Although Interamnia is the largest asteroid after the "big four", it is a very little-studied body. It is easily the largest of the F-type asteroidF-type asteroid
F-type asteroids are a relatively uncommon type of carbonaceous asteroid, falling into the wider C-group.-Characteristics:Generally similar to the B-type asteroids, but...
s, but there exist very few details of its internal composition or shape, and no lightcurve analysis has yet been done to determine the ecliptic coordinates of Interamnia's poles (and hence its axial tilt
Axial tilt
In astronomy, axial tilt is the angle between an object's rotational axis, and a line perpendicular to its orbital plane...
). Its apparently high bulk density (though subject to much error) suggests an extremely solid body entirely without internal porosity or traces of water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
. This also strongly suggests that Interamnia is large enough to have fully withstood all the collisions that have occurred in the asteroid belt since the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
was formed.
Its very dark surface and relatively large distance from the Sun means Interamnia can never be seen with 10x50 binoculars
Binoculars
Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...
. At most oppositions its magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
is around +11.0, which is less than the minimum brightness of Vesta, Ceres or Pallas. Even at a perihelic
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
opposition its magnitude is only +9.9, which is over four magnitudes lower than Vesta.
Its orbit is slightly more eccentric that that of Hygiea (15% versus 12%) but differs from Hygiea's in its much greater inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
and slightly shorter period. Another difference is that Interamnia's perihelion is located on the opposite side from the perihelia of the "big four", so that Interamnia at perihelion is actually closer to the Sun than Ceres and Pallas are at the same longitude. It is unlikely to collide with Pallas because their nodes are located too far apart, whilst although its nodes are located on the opposite side from those of Ceres, it is generally clear of Ceres when both cross the same orbital plane and a collision is again unlikely.
Size
Observations of a favorable occultationOccultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden by another object that passes between it and the observer. The word is used in astronomy . It can also refer to any situation wherein an object in the foreground blocks from view an object in the background...
of a bright 6.6 magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
star on March 23, 2003, produced thirty-five chords
Chord (astronomy)
In the field of astronomy the term chord typically refers to a line crossing an object which is formed during an occultation event. By taking accurate measurements of the start and end times of the event, in conjunction with the known location of the observer and the object's orbit, the length of...
indicating an ellipsoid of 350×304 km.
Mass
In 2001, Michalak estimated Interamnia to have a mass of 6.9 kg. Michalak's estimate depends on the masses of 19 Fortuna19 Fortuna
19 Fortuna is one of the largest main-belt asteroids. It has a composition similar to 1 Ceres: a darkly colored surface that is heavily space-weathered with the composition of primitive organic compounds, including tholins....
, 29 Amphitrite
29 Amphitrite
29 Amphitrite is one of the largest S-type asteroids, probably third in diameter after Eunomia and Juno, although Iris and Herculina are similar in size.-Discovery:...
, and 16 Psyche
16 Psyche
16 Psyche )is one of the ten most massive main-belt asteroids. It is over 200 kilometers in diameter and contains a little less than 1% of the mass of the entire asteroid belt. It is the most massive of the metallic M-type asteroids....
; thus this mass was obtained assuming an incomplete dynamical model.
In 2007, Baer and Chesley estimated Interamnia to have a mass of (7.12±0.84) kg. , Baer suggests Interamnia has a mass of only (3.90±0.18) kg. This makes it more massive than 511 Davida
511 Davida
511 Davida is a large main-belt C-type asteroid. It was discovered by R. S. Dugan in 1903. It is one of the ten most massive asteroids. It is approximately 270–310 km in diameter and comprises an estimated 1.5% of the total mass of the asteroid belt...
. though the error bar
Error bar
Error bars are a graphical representation of the variability of data and are used on graphs to indicate the error, or uncertainty in a reported measurement. They give a general idea of how accurate a measurement is, or conversely, how far from the reported value the true value might be...
s overlap.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris
- Animation of Asteroid Interamnia taken on April 1 & 2, 2003
- Occultation of GSC 23450183 by (704) Interamnia on 1996 December 17 (dia: 329 km; rotation period of 8.70 +/- 0.06 hours)
- Interamnia Occultations Observed before 2003
- Occultation of HIP36189 by (704) Interamnia on 2003 March 23 (dia: 350.4×303.7 km) recorded by Isao Ootsuki (graze) and Hideo Takashima and Fujio Ohbain Japan, analysis by Tsutomu Hayamizu