| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | UESAC |
| Discovery site | La Silla Obs. |
| Discovery date | 17 March 1993 |
| Designations | |
| (9617) Grahamchapman | |
Named after | Graham Chapman (Monty Python)[2] |
| 1993 FA5 · 1991 RN18 | |
| main-belt · Flora[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 64.84 yr (23,681 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.4770AU |
| Perihelion | 1.9711 AU |
| 2.2240 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1137 |
| 3.32yr (1,211 days) | |
| 216.44° | |
| 0° 17m 49.92s / day | |
| Inclination | 6.1378° |
| 165.58° | |
| 281.27° | |
| Knownsatellites | 1[4][5] |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 2.840 km[6][7] 2.849 km[8] 2.85 km(taken)[3] |
| 2.2856 h[4] 2.28561±0.00006h[9] 2.28561±0.00009 h[9] | |
| 0.2237[8] 0.2445±0.0393[6][7] | |
| S[3] | |
| 14.37±0.23(R)[9] · 14.43±0.2(R)[4] · 14.7[1] · 14.88[6] · 14.97±0.078[3][8] · 15.03±0.34[10] | |
9617 Grahamchapman, provisional designation1993 FA5, is abinary[4] Florianasteroid from the inner regions of theasteroid belt, approximately 2.8 kilometers in diameter.
The asteroid was discovered on 17 March 1993, during theUppsala–ESO Survey of Asteroids and Comets (UESAC) atESO'sLa Silla Observatory in northern Chile.[11] It was named for actor andMonty Python member,Graham Chapman.[2]
Grahamchapman is a member of theFlora family, one of the largest collisional groups ofstony asteroids. It orbits the Sun in theinner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,211 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.11 and aninclination of 6° with respect to theecliptic.[1]A firstprecovery was taken atPalomar Observatory in 1951, extending the body'sobservation arc by 42 years prior to its official discovery observation at La Silla.[11]
According to the survey carried out by NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequentNEOWISE mission, Grahamchapman measures 2.84 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo of 0.245.[6] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link agrees withPetr Pravec's revised NEOWISE data and gives an albedo of 0.224 with a diameter of 2.85 kilometers with anabsolute magnitude of 14.97.[3][8]
In February 2006, observations by theOndřejov NEOPhotometric Program determined that Grahamchapman is orbited by aminor-planet moon. The satellite is about a quarter the size of Grahamchapman, and orbits it about once every 19 hours, 23 minutes, and 5 seconds.[4][5]
Thelightcurve study also showed that Grahamchapman itself has arotation period of 2.28561 hours with a brightness variation of 0.10magnitude (U=3).[9] A second photometric observation in December 2008, gave an identical period with an amplitude of 0.11 magnitude (U=3).[9] A low brightness amplitude typically indicates that the body has a nearlyspheroidal shape.
Thisminor planet is named after the comic actorGraham Chapman (1941–1989).[2] It is the first in a series of six asteroids carrying the names of members of theMonty Python comedy troupe, the others being9618 Johncleese,9619 Terrygilliam,9620 Ericidle,9621 Michaelpalin and9622 Terryjones. The approved naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 20 March 2000 (M.P.C. 39653).[12]
