 A three-dimensional model of 40 Harmonia based on itslight curve on the top and an image of 40 Harmonia on the bottom. | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | H. Goldschmidt |
| Discovery date | March 31, 1856 |
| Designations | |
| (40) Harmonia | |
| Pronunciation | /hɑːrˈmoʊniə/[1] |
Named after | Harmonia |
| 1950 XU | |
| Main belt | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5) | |
| Aphelion | 355.021 Gm (2.373AU) |
| Perihelion | 323.537 Gm (2.163 AU) |
| 339.279 Gm (2.268 AU) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.046 |
| 1,247.514 d (3.42 a) | |
| 249.120° | |
| Inclination | 4.256° |
| 94.287° | |
| 268.988° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 111.251 ± 0.391 km[2] |
| Mass | (2.206 ± 0.612/0.42)×1018 kg[3] |
Meandensity | 2.867 ± 0.795/0.546 g/cm3[3][a] |
| 0.3712 d (8.909 h)[4] | |
| 0.242[5] | |
| S | |
| 9.31 (brightest) | |
| 6.55[2] | |
40 Harmonia is a largemain-beltasteroid. It was discovered by German-French astronomerHermann Goldschmidt on March 31, 1856,[6] and named afterHarmonia, theGreek goddess of harmony. The name was chosen to mark the end of theCrimean War.
The asteroid is orbiting theSun with a period of 3.42 years and a relatively loweccentricity of 0.046. It has a cross-sectional size of 107.6 km. The spectrum of 40 Harmonia matches anS-type (silicate) in theTholen classification system, and is similar to primitiveachondrite meteorites.[7]Photometric observations at the Organ Mesa Observatory inLas Cruces, New Mexico during 2008–09 were used to generate alight curve that showed four unequal minima and maxima per cycle. The curve shows a period of 8.909 ± 0.001 hours with a brightness variation of 0.28 ± 0.02 inmagnitude. This result is compatible with previous studies.[4]
Speckle interferometric observations carried out with theNicholas U. Mayall Telescope at theKitt Peak National Observatory during 1982–84 failed to discover a satellite companion.[8] In 1988 a search for satellites or dust orbiting this asteroid was performed using theUH88 telescope at theMauna Kea Observatories, but the effort came up empty.[9]
