| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | A. Lowe |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 17 August 2002 |
| Designations | |
| (99906) Uofalberta | |
Named after | University of Alberta[2] |
| 2002 QV53 | |
| main-belt[1] · (outer)[3] background[4][5] | |
| Orbital characteristics[3] | |
| Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 20.63yr (7,536 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.4925AU |
| Perihelion | 2.9316 AU |
| 3.2120 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0873 |
| 5.76 yr (2,103 d) | |
| 282.41° | |
| 0° 10m 16.32s / day | |
| Inclination | 11.665° |
| 161.15° | |
| 219.28° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 6.834±0.303 km[4][6] | |
| 0.055±0.015[6] | |
| 14.8[1][3] | |
99906 Uofalberta (provisional designation2002 QV53) is a dark backgroundasteroid from the outermost region of theasteroid belt, approximately 6.8 kilometers (4.2 miles) in diameter. It was discovered by Canadian amateur astronomerAndrew Lowe on 17 August 2002, from digitized photographic plates taken at thePalomar Observatory.[1] It was named for theUniversity of Alberta.
Uofalberta is a non-family asteroid from the main belt'sbackground population,[4][5] located just inside the region of theCybele asteroids (3.3–3.7 AU). It orbits the Sun in theouter asteroid belt at a distance of 2.9–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 9 months (2,103 days;semi-major axis of 3.21 AU). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.09 and aninclination of 12° with respect to theecliptic.[3]
The body's first observation was found on images taken by theSiding Spring Observatory in November 1997, and were published by theDigitized Sky Survey (DSS) later on. The asteroid'sobservation arc begins with aprecovery in February 1999, when it was observed at theNear-Earth Asteroid Tracking atHaleakala Observatory.[1]
Thisminor planet was named after theUniversity of Alberta; the initials of its mottoQuaecumque Vera ("Whatsoever things are true") appear in the provisional designation. The officialnaming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 18 September 2005 (M.P.C. 54830).[7]
According to the survey carried out by theNEOWISE mission of NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Uofalberta measures 6.834 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo of 0.055.[6] Due to its low albedo and location far out the asteroid belt, Uofalberta is likely a carbonaceousC-type asteroid. As of 2018, no rotationallightcurve of Uofalberta has been obtained fromphotometric observations. The body'srotation period,pole and shape remain unknown.[3][8]
