| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | C. W. Tombaugh |
| Discovery site | Lowell Obs. |
| Discovery date | 16 March 1931 |
| Designations | |
| (3754) Kathleen | |
Named after | Kathleen Clifford[1] (Discoverer's granddaughter) |
| 1931 FM · 1925 BF 1929 WA1 · 1955 MR 1957 WH1 · 1959 CH1 1959 EC1 · 1963 WD 1977 KR · 1978 NM2 1982 DQ4 · 1985 UD4 1987 BK · A909 HE | |
| main-belt[1][2] · (outer) background[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 108.53yr (39,639 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.4993AU |
| Perihelion | 2.8168 AU |
| 3.1581 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1081 |
| 5.61 yr (2,050 d) | |
| 157.55° | |
| 0° 10m 32.16s / day | |
| Inclination | 8.4535° |
| 110.50° | |
| 55.593° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 53.03 km(derived)[4] 53.23±1.8 km[5] 53.699±0.248 km[6] 54.283±1.200 km[7] 57.27±0.69 km[8] 58.64±20.04 km[9] 59.367±14.24 km[10] | |
| 11.16±0.01 h[11] 11.17±0.02 h[11] 11.18±0.01 h[12] 11.2±0.1 h[13] | |
| 0.0379±0.0217[10] 0.04±0.01[9] 0.0435(derived)[4] 0.054±0.002[8] 0.0599±0.0072[7] 0.061±0.006[6] 0.0624±0.005[5] | |
| C(assumed)[4] | |
| 10.00[5][7][8] 10.30[9] 10.40[2][4][10] | |
3754 Kathleen, provisional designation1931 FM, is a large backgroundasteroid from the outer regions of theasteroid belt, approximately 55 kilometers (34 miles) in diameter. It was discovered at theLowell Observatory near Flagstaff, Arizona, on 16 March 1931, by American astronomerClyde Tombaugh, who named it after his granddaughterKathleen Clifford.[1] The assumedC-type asteroid has arotation period of 11.18 hours.[4] It is the second-highest numbered main-belt asteroid larger than 50 kilometers.[14]
Kathleen is a non-family asteroid from the main belt'sbackground population.[3] It orbits the Sun in theouter main-belt at a distance of 2.8–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 7 months (2,050 days;semi-major axis of 3.16 AU). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.11 and aninclination of 8° with respect to theecliptic.[2] The body'sobservation arc begins with its first observations asA909 HE atHeidelberg Observatory in April 1909, nearly 22 years prior to its official discovery observation at Flagstaff.[1]
Kathleen is an assumed carbonaceousC-type asteroid.[4]
Several rotationallightcurves ofKathleen have been obtained fromphotometric observations since March 2004.[11][12][13] Analysis of the best-rated lightcurve gave arotation period of 11.18 hours with a consolidated brightness amplitude between 0.13 and 0.20magnitude (U=3-).[4][12]
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical SatelliteIRAS, the JapaneseAkari satellite and theNEOWISE mission of NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer,Kathleen measures between 53.23 and 59.367 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo between 0.0379 and 0.0624.[5][6][7][8][9][10]
TheCollaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.0435 and a diameter of 53.03 kilometers based on anabsolute magnitude of 10.4.[4] Besides3925 Tretʹyakov, it is the highest numbered main-belt asteroid larger than 50 kilometers in diameter, of which there are 642 bodies in total, according to theJPL SBDB.[14]
Thisminor planet was named afterKathleen Willoughby Clifford, granddaughter of the discovererClyde Tombaugh (1906–1997).[1] The official naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 28 May 1991 (M.P.C. 18306).[15]
