| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | C. Shoemaker |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 12 October 1985 |
| Designations | |
| (3794) Sthenelos | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈ(s)θɛnɪlɒs/[2] |
Named after | Sthenelus[1] (Greek mythology) |
| 1985 TF3 · 1949 SA 1973 SU2 | |
| Jupiter trojan[1][3] Greek[4] · background[5] | |
| Orbital characteristics[3] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 68.67yr (25,081 d) |
| Aphelion | 5.9670AU |
| Perihelion | 4.4441 AU |
| 5.2056 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1463 |
| 11.88 yr (4,338 d) | |
| 273.76° | |
| 0° 4m 58.8s / day | |
| Inclination | 6.0611° |
| 343.20° | |
| 35.374° | |
| Jupiter MOID | 0.2224 AU |
| TJupiter | 2.9670 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 34.53±0.36 km[6] 46.30 km(calculated)[7] | |
| 12.877±0.016 h[8] | |
| 0.057(assumed)[7] 0.112±0.020[6] | |
| C(assumed)[7] V–I =1.070±0.048[7] | |
| 10.3[6] 10.4[1][3][7] | |
3794 Sthenelos/ˈ(s)θɛnɪlɒs/ is a mid-sizedJupiter trojan from theGreek camp, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 12 October 1985, by American astronomerCarolyn Shoemaker at thePalomar Observatory in California.[1] The presumedC-type asteroid has arotation period of 12.9 hours.[7] It was named after the Greek warriorSthenelus from Greek mythology.[1]
Sthenelos is a dark Jovianasteroid in a 1:1orbital resonance with Jupiter. It is located in the leadingGreek camp at the Gas Giant'sL4Lagrangian point, 60° ahead on its orbit(seeTrojans in astronomy). It is also a non-family asteroid of theJovian background population.[5] It orbits the Sun at a distance of 4.4–6.0 AU once every 11 years and 11 months (4,338 days;semi-major axis of 5.21 AU). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.15 and aninclination of 6° with respect to theecliptic.[3]
The body'sobservation arc begins with its first observation as1949 SA atHeidelberg Observatory in September 1949, or 36 years prior to its official discovery observation at Palomar.[1]
Sthenelos is an assumed, carbonaceousC-type asteroid, while most larger Jupiter trojans areD-type asteroids. It has a highV–I color index of 1.07.[7]
In August 1995, a rotationallightcurve ofSthenelos was obtained fromphotometric observations by Italian astronomerStefano Mottola using theBochum 0.61-metre Telescope at ESO'sLa Silla Observatory in Chile. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-definedrotation period of12.877±0.016 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.27magnitude (U=3).[7][8]
According to the survey carried out by theNEOWISE mission of NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer,Sthenelos measures 34.53 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo of 0.112,[6] while theCollaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for a carbonaceous asteroid of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 46.30 kilometers based on anabsolute magnitude of 10.4.[7]
Thisminor planet was named fromGreek mythology afterSthenelus, a Greek warrior and companion ofDiomedes during theTrojan War. He stoleAeneas' chariot horses and brought it back to the Greek camp. The official naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 27 August 1988 (M.P.C. 13482).[9]
