| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | T. Smirnova |
| Discovery site | Crimean Astrophysical Obs. |
| Discovery date | 2 November 1975 |
| Designations | |
| (2578) Saint-Exupéry | |
Named after | Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (French writer)[2] |
| 1975 VW3 · 1952 HG2 1980 TA1 | |
| main-belt · (outer) Eos[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 64.61 yr (23,599 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.2935AU |
| Perihelion | 2.7101 AU |
| 3.0018 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0972 |
| 5.20yr (1,900 days) | |
| 17.255° | |
| 0° 11m 22.2s / day | |
| Inclination | 10.571° |
| 55.704° | |
| 336.25° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 17.014±0.485[4] 22±9 km(calculated)[5] |
| 0.168±0.039[4] | |
| 11.5[1] | |
2578 Saint-Exupéry, provisional designation1975 VW3, is an Eoanasteroid from the outer region of theasteroid belt, approximately 17 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Russian astronomerTamara Smirnova at theCrimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj on 2 November 1975, and named after French aviator and writerAntoine de Saint-Exupéry.[2][6]
Saint-Exupéry is a member theEos family (606),[3] the largestasteroid family of theouter main belt consisting of nearly 10,000 known members.[7]: 23 The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.7–3.3 AU once every 5 years and 2 months (1,900 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.10 and aninclination of 11° with respect to theecliptic.[1]
The asteroid's was first identified as1952 HG2 atMcDonald Observatory in Texas. One month later, it was also observed at thePalomar Observatory in May 1952. Itsobservation arc begins by 23 years prior to its official discovery observation at Nauchnyj.[6]
According to the survey carried out by NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequentNEOWISE mission,Saint-Exupéry measures 17.0 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo of 0.168.[4] Based on itsabsolute magnitude of 11.5, its generic diameter is between 13 and 30 kilometers, assuming analbedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.25.[5]
As of 2017,Saint-Exupéry's effective composition,rotation period and shape remain unknown.[1][8]
Theminor planet was named in honour of French aviator and writerAntoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900–1944). The name also alludes to Saint-Exupéry's best-known character,The Little Prince, who lives on an asteroid.[2]
In the book, the prince's asteroid also has a unique code:B612 (which does not match this minor planet'sprovisional designation). However, there is another asteroid called46610 Bésixdouze, which is French for "B-six-twelve" (B612 inhexadecimal notation equals 46610).
The official naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 11 July 1987 (M.P.C. 12012).[9]
