| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | E. Bowell |
| Discovery site | Anderson Mesa Stn. |
| Discovery date | 24 January 1982 |
| Designations | |
| (2905) Plaskett | |
Named after | John Stanley Plaskett Harry Hemley Plaskett (Canadian astronomers)[2][3] |
| 1982 BZ2 · 1973 FJ2 1973 FP · 1978 GV3 | |
| main-belt · (middle) Gefion[4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 44.60 yr (16,289 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.0704AU |
| Perihelion | 2.5395 AU |
| 2.8049 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0946 |
| 4.70yr (1,716 days) | |
| 122.54° | |
| 0° 12m 35.28s / day | |
| Inclination | 8.9005° |
| 9.8462° | |
| 220.04° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 10.224±0.145 km[5] |
| 0.273±0.010[5] | |
| SMASS =S[1] | |
| 12.0[1] | |
2905 Plaskett, provisional designation1982 BZ2, is a stony Gefionianasteroid from the central regions of theasteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 January 1982, by American astronomerEdward Bowell at theAnderson Mesa Station near Flagstaff, Arizona.[6] The asteroid was named after Canadian astronomersJohn Stanley Plaskett andHarry Hemley Plaskett.[2][3]
Plaskett is a member of theGefion family (516),[4] a large intermediate beltfamily, named after1272 Gefion.[7]: 23 It orbits the Sun in thecentral main-belt at a distance of 2.5–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 8 months (1,716 days;semi-major axis of 2.80 AU). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.09 and aninclination of 9° with respect to theecliptic.[1]
The body'sobservation arc begins with its first observation as1973 FP at theCrimean Astrophysical Observatory in March 1973, almost 9 years prior to its official discovery observation at Anderson Mesa.[6]
In theSMASS classification,Plaskett is a stonyS-type asteroid,[1] which corresponds to the overallspectral type of Gefionian asteroids.[7]: 23
According to the survey carried out by theNEOWISE mission of NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer,Plaskett measures 10.224 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo of 0.273.[5]
As of 2017, no rotationallightcurve ofPlaskett has been obtained from photometric observations. The body'srotation period, shape and poles remain unknown.[8]
Thisminor planet was named in memory of Canadian astronomerJohn Stanley Plaskett (1865–1941) and his sonHarry Hemley Plaskett (1893–1980).[2][3] The official naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 10 September 1984 (M.P.C. 9081).[9]
