| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Max Wolf |
| Discovery site | Heidelberg Observatory |
| Discovery date | 24 August 1903 |
| Designations | |
| (513) Centesima | |
| Pronunciation | /sɛnˈtɛzɪmə/ |
| A903 QD · A914 WB · A916 BC · 1950 RM1[2][a] | |
| Main belt | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5) (JD 2456400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 112.65 yr (41144 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.2648 AU (488.41 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 2.7679 AU (414.07 Gm) |
| 3.0163 AU (451.23 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.082371 |
| 5.24yr (1913.5d) | |
| 146.99° | |
| 0° 11m 17.304s / day | |
| Inclination | 9.7329° |
| 184.45° | |
| 226.24° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 25.075±0.9km (IRAS) | |
Equatorialescape velocity | ~25 m/s (56 mph) |
| 4.792 ± 0.019 h (0.19967 ± 0.00079 d)[4]: 248 | |
| 0.0885±0.007[2] | |
| S (Tholen) K (SMASSII)[2] | |
| 9.75[2] | |
513 Centesima is a 50 kmMain-belt asteroid orbiting theSun.[2] It is one of the core members of theEos family of asteroids. Relatively little is known about this tiny asteroid. It is not known to possess anynatural satellites, so its mass is unknown. However, its brief rotation period of just over 5 hours implies that the body must be exceptionally dense, for its gravity is able counteract thecentrifugal force. It was discovered 24 August 1903 by late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century astronomerMax Wolf.[2]
Centesima was discovered on 24 August 1903 by astronomerMax Wolf atHeidelberg Observatory,[1] where it was given the old-styleprovisional designation1903 LY.[5]: 383 The asteroid then received its permanent number (513) by 1905,[5]: 383 and was given the nameCentesima by 1907.[6]: 271 The name commemorates the asteroid as Wolf's 100th minor planet discovery.[7]: 54
In 1925, the old-style minor planet provisional designation scheme was replaced by the system currently in use. theMinor Planet Center (MPC) has since retroactively applied the new-style system to pre-1925 designations.[8] Thus, Centesima's provisional designation given upon its discovery was changed toA903 QD.[2]
Centesima orbits the Sun at an average distance—itssemi-major axis—of 3.01astronomical units (AU), taking 5.23 years to complete one revolution. Along its orbit, its distance from the Sun varies between 2.75 AU atperihelion to 3.28 AU ataphelion due to itsorbital eccentricity of 0.087. Its orbit isinclined by 9.73° with respect to theecliptic plane.[2] It is a member of theEos family,[9]: 473 a vast and ancientasteroid family[10]: 2612 located in the outermain belt.[11]: 277
Centesima is estimated to be 48.8 kilometres (30.3 mi) in size. It is classified as anS-type asteroid in theTholen classification scheme, and aK-type asteroid in theSmall Main-belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey, Phase II (SMASSII) classification scheme.[2] Based on observations of itslightcurve, or variations in its observed brightness, Centesima has arotation period of 4.79 hours.[4]: 248
