| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Eleanor F. Helin Schelte J. Bus |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 7 November 1978 |
| Designations | |
| (17365) Thymbraeus | |
| 1978 VF11 · 1998 MM49 · 1999 RE121[2] | |
| Jupiter trojan[2][1] Trojan (L5)[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics [1] | |
| Epoch 13 September 2023 (JD 2460200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 68.79yr (25,125 days) |
| Earliestprecovery date | 23 November 1954 |
| Aphelion | 5.683AU |
| Perihelion | 4.856 AU |
| 5.270 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0785 |
| 12.10 yr (4,418 days) | |
| 321.875° | |
| 0° 4m 53.321s / day | |
| Inclination | 11.644° |
| 252.124° | |
| 117.711° | |
| Physical characteristics[4]: 3 | |
| 44.904±0.525 km[1] | |
Meandensity | 0.830±0.050 g/cm3[4]: 3 |
| 12.671821 h (retrograde) or12.672607 h (prograde)[4]: 3 | |
North poleright ascension | 92°±2° (retrograde) or268°±2° (prograde)[4]: 3 |
North poledeclination | −77°±2° (retrograde) or +77°±2° (prograde)[4]: 3 |
| 0.066±0.009[1] | |
| 10.59±0.04[1] | |
17365 Thymbraeus (provisional designation1978 VF11) is aJupiter trojan from theTrojan camp, which is located in Jupiter's trailingL5Lagrangian point.
It was discovered byEleanor Helin andSchelte Bus atPalomar Observatory on 7 November 1978.[2] Thymbraeus is 45 kilometres (28 mi) in diameter and has an elongated dumbbell shape that is on the verge of splitting apart due tocentrifugal forces of its rapid rotation.[4] The asteroid's density is less than that of water, indicating that it has a highly porous interior structure similar to arubble pile.[5][6][4] It was given the nameThymbraeus on 27 February 2023, after one of the two sons of theTrojan priestLaocoön who was attacked by sea serpents for attempting to warn the Trojans about theTrojan horse inGreek mythology.[7]
