| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | L. Kohoutek |
| Discovery site | Bergedorf Obs. |
| Discovery date | 24 November 1970 |
| Designations | |
| (1861) Komenský | |
Named after | John Amos Comenius (Czech theologist)[2] |
| 1970 WB | |
| main-belt · (outer) Eos[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 45.98 yr (16,793 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.2152AU |
| Perihelion | 2.8261 AU |
| 3.0207 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0644 |
| 5.25yr (1,918 days) | |
| 83.442° | |
| 0° 11m 15.72s / day | |
| Inclination | 10.456° |
| 23.586° | |
| 267.92° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 14.815±0.148[4] 20±8 km(generic)[5] |
| 0.158±0.022[4] | |
| 11.7[1] | |
1861 Komenský, provisional designation1970 WB, is an Eoanasteroid from the outer region of theasteroid belt, estimated to measure approximately 15 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 November 1970, by Czech astronomerLuboš Kohoutek at theBergedorf Observatory in Hamburg, Germany,[6] and named afterJohn Amos Comenius.[2]
Komenský is a member of theEos family (606), the largestasteroid family in theouter main belt consisting of nearly 10,000 asteroids.[3][7]: 23 It orbits the Sun in theouter main-belt at a distance of 2.8–3.2 AU once every 5 years and 3 months (1,918 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.06 and aninclination of 10° with respect to theecliptic.[1]Komenský'sobservation arc begins with its official discovery observation, as noprecoveries and no previous identifications were made.[6]
According to the survey carried out by NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequentNEOWISE mission,Komenský measures 14.8 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo of 0.158.[4] Based on an absolutemagnitude of 11.7, and assuming analbedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.25, the asteroid has a generic mean diameter of 12 to 28 kilometers.[5] As of 2016,Komenský's composition,rotation period and shape remain unknown.
Thisminor planet was named in honor of Czech educational reformer and theologist,John Amos Comenius (1592–1670), known as Jan Amos Komenský in the original Czech language. He is considered the father of modern education and spend most of his life in exile.[2] The officialnaming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 20 December 1974 (M.P.C. 3757).[8]
