| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | A. Natori T. Urata |
| Discovery site | JCPM Yakiimo Stn. |
| Discovery date | 23 November 1990 |
| Designations | |
| (6042) Cheshirecat | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtʃɛʃərkæt/ · /ˈtʃɛʃɪərkæt/ |
Named after | Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)[2] |
| 1990 WW2 | |
| Mars-crosser[1][3][4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 36.84 yr (13,454 days) |
| Aphelion | 4.4295AU |
| Perihelion | 1.6505 AU |
| 3.0400 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.4571 |
| 5.30yr (1,936 days) | |
| 34.629° | |
| 0° 11m 9.24s / day | |
| Inclination | 15.885° |
| 88.606° | |
| 286.27° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 14.12±0.20 km[5] 14.64 km(calculated)[4] |
| 10.049±0.004h[6] 10.050±0.002 h[7] | |
| 0.109±0.004[5] 0.057(assumed)[4] | |
| XL[8] · K[9] · C[4] | |
| 12.00[9] · 12.30[5] · 12.77±0.62[8] · 12.9[1][4] | |
6042 Cheshirecat (/ˈtʃɛʃərkæt/or/ˈtʃɛʃɪərkæt/), provisional designation1990 WW2, is an eccentric, rare-typeasteroid and largeMars-crosser from the outer regions of theasteroid belt, approximately 14 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Japanese astronomersAkira Natori andTakeshi Urata at theJCPM Yakiimo Station on 23 November 1990.[3] It was named for theCheshire Cat from the novelAlice's Adventures in Wonderland.[2]
Cheshirecat is aMars-crossing asteroid, as it crosses the orbit ofMars at 1.666 AU. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.65–4.43 AU once every 5 years and 4 months (1,936 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.46 and aninclination of 16° with respect to theecliptic.[1]
The body'sobservation arc begins 11 years prior to its official discovery observation, with aprecovery taken at theSiding Spring Observatory in August 1979.[3]
According to photometry from theSloan Digital Sky Survey,Cheshirecat is a rareK-type asteroid.[9] The asteroid has also been characterized as a XL-type – which transitions from theX-type to theL-type asteroid – byPan-STARRS photometric survey.[8]
In December 2006, a rotationallightcurve ofCheshirecat was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomerRobert Stephens. Lightcurve analysis gave arotation period of 10.050 hours with a brightness variation of 0.40magnitude (U=3-).[7] In September 2011, another lightcurve, obtained at the Oakley Southern Sky Observatory (E09), Australia, gave a concurring period of 10.050 hours and an amplitude of 0.20 (U=3-)[6]
According to the survey carried out by the JapaneseAkari satellite,Cheshirecat measures 14.12 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo of 0.109.[5] TheCollaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo forcarbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 14.64 kilometers based on anabsolute magnitude of 12.9.[4]
Thisminor planet was named for theCheshire Cat, a cat appearing inLewis Carroll's famous fairy taleAlice in Wonderland. The cat is known for its distinctive mischievous grins and eyes that linger after it has already faded away. The asteroid's name and citation was proposed by co-discovererTakeshi Urata.[2] The approved naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 2 February 1999 (M.P.C. 33786).[10]
