| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | E. Bowell |
| Discovery site | Anderson Mesa Stn. |
| Discovery date | 18 December 1985 |
| Designations | |
| (4205) David Hughes | |
Named after | David Hughes[1] (British astronomer) |
| 1985 YP · 1986 AF 1986 CF | |
| Mars-crosser[1][2][3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 37.73yr (13,780 d) |
| Aphelion | 1.9843AU |
| Perihelion | 1.4686 AU |
| 1.7264 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1494 |
| 2.27 yr (829 d) | |
| 132.52° | |
| 0° 26m 4.2s / day | |
| Inclination | 16.479° |
| 276.55° | |
| 109.98° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.5525 AU (215LD) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 3.92 km(calculated)[3] | |
| 24 h[4] | |
| 0.20(assumed)[3] | |
| SMASS =Xe[2][5] | |
| 14.4[2][3] | |
4205 David Hughes, provisional designation1985 YP, is aMars-crossing asteroid from inside the innermost regions of theasteroid belt, approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 18 December 1985, by American astronomerEdward Bowell at Lowell'sAnderson Mesa Station near Flagstaff, Arizona.[1] The transitionalX-type asteroid has a longer-than averagerotation period of at least 24 hours.[3] It was named for British astronomerDavid Hughes.[1]
David Hughes is aMars-crossing asteroid, a member of the dynamically unstable group, located between themain belt andnear-Earth populations, and crossing the orbit ofMars at 1.666 AU. It orbits the Sun inside theinnermost region of the asteroid belt at a distance of 1.5–2.0 AU once every 2 years and 3 months (829 days;semi-major axis of 1.73 AU). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.15 and aninclination of 16° with respect to theecliptic.[2] On 12 October 2026 it will pass 4,341,000 km; 2,698,000 mi (0.02902 AU) from Mars. Another close Martian approach will occur at a similar distance on 24 November 2103.[2]
The body'sobservation arc begins with aprecovery taken at theSiding Spring Observatory in June 1980, or five years prior to its official discovery observation at Anderson Mesa.[1]
In theSMASS classification,David Hughes is a Xe-subtype that transitions from theX-type to the very brightE-type asteroids.[2]
In August 2012, a rotationallightcurve ofDavid Hughes was obtained fromphotometric observations by Italian amateur astronomers Roberto Crippa and Federico Manzini at the Sozzago Astronomical Station (A12). Lightcurve analysis gave arotation period of at least 24 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.25magnitude (U=2-).[3] Most asteroids have a period shorter than 20 hours(also seeList of slow rotators).
TheCollaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes analbedo of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 3.92 kilometers based on anabsolute magnitude of 14.4.[3]
This makesDavid Hughes one of the smallest mid-sizedMars-crossing asteroids smaller than1065 Amundsenia (9.75 km),1474 Beira (8.73 km),1011 Laodamia (7.5 km),1727 Mette (est. 9 km),1131 Porzia (7.13 km),1235 Schorria (est. 9 km),985 Rosina (8.18 km),1310 Villigera (15.24 km) and1468 Zomba (7 km), and much smaller than the largest members of this dynamical group, namely,132 Aethra,323 Brucia,1508 Kemi,2204 Lyyli and512 Taurinensis, which are all larger than 20 kilometers in diameter.
Thisminor planet was named after British astronomer and professor of astronomy at theUniversity of Sheffield.[1] The official naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 2 November 1990 (M.P.C. 17223).[6]
