.png) A three-dimensional model of 34 Circe based on its light curve | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | J. Chacornac |
| Discovery date | April 6, 1855 |
| Designations | |
Designation | (34) Circe |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsɜːrsiː/[1] |
Named after | Circe |
| 1965 JL | |
| Main belt | |
| Adjectives | Circean/sərˈsiːən/[2] |
| Orbital characteristics[3] | |
| Epoch November 4, 2013 (JD 2456600.5) | |
| Aphelion | 2.967739AU |
| Perihelion | 2.406230 AU |
| 2.686984 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1045 |
| 4.40a (1607.332 d) | |
Averageorbital speed | 18.12 km/s |
| 39.80474° | |
| Inclination | 5.498° |
| 184.44157° | |
| 330.2330° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 113.02 ± 4.90 km[4] |
| Mass | (3.66 ± 0.03) × 1018 kg[4] |
Meandensity | 4.83 ± 0.63 g/cm3[4] |
| ~0.0317 m/s² | |
| ~0.0600 km/s | |
| 0.5063 d (12.15 h)[3] | |
| Albedo | 0.0541[3] |
| Temperature | ~172K |
Spectral type | C |
| 8.51 | |
34 Circe is a large, very darkmain-beltasteroid. It was discovered by French astronomerJ. Chacornac on April 6, 1855, and named afterCirce, the bewitching queen ofAeaea island inGreek mythology.
The spectrum of this object matches aC-type asteroid, suggesting acarbonaceous composition. It has a cross-section size of 113 km and is orbiting theSun with a period of 4.40 years.Photometric observations of this asteroid made during 2007 at the Organ Mesa Observatory inLas Cruces, New Mexico gave an asymmetrical bimodallight curve with a period of 12.176 ± 0.002 hours and a brightness variation of 0.17 ± 0.02 inmagnitude.[5] The spectra of the asteroid displays evidence of aqueous alteration.[6]
