| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | E. F. Helin |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 27 October 1989 |
| Designations | |
| (4868) Knushevia | |
Named after | Kyiv University (in Ukraine)[2] |
| 1989 UN2 · 1988 DE5 | |
| main-belt · (inner)[1] Hungaria[3][4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 33.39 yr (12,196 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.0940AU |
| Perihelion | 1.8271 AU |
| 1.9606 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0681 |
| 2.75yr (1,003 days) | |
| 156.32° | |
| 0° 21m 32.4s / day | |
| Inclination | 22.108° |
| 187.52° | |
| 94.633° | |
| Knownsatellites | 1(suspected)[5] |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 1.535±0.322 km[6][7] 2.30 km(calculated)[4] |
| 3.1422±0.0002 h[5] 4.45±0.01h[8] 4.54±0.01 h[9] 4.717±0.002 h[10] | |
| 0.4(assumed)[4] 1.000±0.000[6][7] | |
| E[4] | |
| 13.9[6] · 14.26±0.41[11] · 14.8[1][4] | |
4868 Knushevia, provisional designation1989 UN2, is a bright Hungariaasteroid and suspectedbinary system from the innermost regions of theasteroid belt, approximately 2 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 27 October 1989, by American astronomerEleanor Helin at thePalomar Observatory in California, United States. The asteroid was named for theKyiv University in Ukraine.[2][3]
Knushevia is a bright member of theHungaria family, which forms the innermost dense concentration of asteroids in theSolar System. It orbits the Sun in theinner main-belt at a distance of 1.8–2.1 AU once every 2 years and 9 months (1,003 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.07 and aninclination of 22° with respect to theecliptic.[1]
Between 2008 and 2011, three rotationallightcurves ofKnushevia were obtained from photometric observations by American astronomerBrian Warner. Lightcurve analysis gave arotation period between 4.45 and 4.717 hours with an exceptionally low brightness amplitude of 0.01magnitude (U=2/2/2).[8][9][10]
In May 2015, Warner measured a period of 3.1422 hours with an amplitude of 0.09 (U=3). The photometric observation also revealed thatKnushevia might be abinary asteroid with aminor-planet moon orbiting it every 11.922 hours. The results, however, are tentative only.[5]
According to the survey carried out by NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequentNEOWISE mission,Knushevia measures 1.535 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an outstandingly highalbedo of 1.000.[6][7]
TheCollaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo for brightE-type asteroids of 0.40 – derived from434 Hungaria, the family's largest member and namesake – and calculates a diameter of 2.30 kilometers based on anabsolute magnitude of 14.8.[4]
Thisminor planet (Ukrainian:КНУШЕВІЯ;translit.:Knushevia) was named afterKyiv University (full nameUkrainian:Київський Національний Університет ім. Т.Шевченка,translit.: Кyivs'kyj Natsional'nyj Universytet іmeni (name)Shevchenka) for its great achievement in the education, science and culture of Ukraine. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Ukraine.[2] The approved naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 27 April 2002 (M.P.C. 45336).[12]
