| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | A. Nakamura |
| Discovery site | Kuma Kogen Obs. |
| Discovery date | 5 December 1994 |
| Designations | |
| (6255) Kuma | |
Named after | Kuma, Ehime (Japanese town)[2] |
| 1994 XT · 1975 VJ8 1981 DV3 · 1986 EB2 1988 SU4 · 1989 WP3 1992 OL1 | |
| main-belt · (middle) | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 41.37 yr (15,110 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.8302AU |
| Perihelion | 2.6527 AU |
| 2.7414 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0324 |
| 4.54yr (1,658 days) | |
| 37.407° | |
| 0° 13m 1.56s / day | |
| Inclination | 5.1205° |
| 275.38° | |
| 193.11° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 15.53±3.67 km[3] 15.74±5.52 km[4] 16.955±0.135 km[5][6] 17.86±0.52 km[7] 21.50±9.05 km[8] 22.67 km(derived)[9] 22.72±1.7 km(IRAS:3)[10] |
| 9.70±0.01h[11][a] | |
| 0.0238(derived)[9] 0.029±0.029[8] 0.0342±0.006(IRAS:3)[10] 0.04±0.03[4] 0.058±0.004[7] 0.060±0.001[3][5][6] | |
| C[9] | |
| 12.5[5][7][10] · 12.80[3][8] · 12.9[1][9] · 13.09[4] | |
6255 Kuma, provisional designation1994 XT, is a carbonaceousasteroid from the central region of theasteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 December 1994, by Japanese astronomerAkimasa Nakamura atKuma Kogen Astronomical Observatory on the Island of Shikoku, Japan.[12] It was named after the Japanese town ofKumakōgen.[2]
Kuma is a dark asteroid that orbits the Sun in thecentral main-belt at a distance of 2.7–2.8 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,658 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.03 and aninclination of 5° with respect to theecliptic.[1] The firstprecovery was taken atCrimea–Nauchnij in 1975, extending the asteroid'sobservation arc by 19 years prior to its discovery.[12]
Kuma is an assumed carbonaceousC-type asteroid.[9]
In September 2006, a rotationallightcurve ofKuma was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomerBrian Warner at the Palmer Divide Observatory (716) in Colorado. Lightcurve analysis gave arotation period of9.70 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.15magnitude (U=2).[11][a]
According to the space-based surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical SatelliteIRAS, the JapaneseAkari satellite, and NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with itsNEOWISE mission,Kuma measures between 15.53 and 22.72 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has a lowalbedo in the range of 0.029 to 0.06.[3][4][5][7][8][10]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an even lower albedo of 0.02 and a diameter of 22.7 kilometers using anabsolute magnitude of 12.9.[9]
Thisminor planet was named after the Japanese rural townKuma (nowKumakōgen, Ehime), home of the discovering observatory that was built in 1992 for astronomical education and tourism. Kuma is located on the Japanese island ofShikoku, after which the minor planet4223 Shikoku is named. The town supports local cultural activities and is a significant destination for pilgrims.[2] The approved naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 14 May 1995 (M.P.C. 25231).[13]
