 Orbit ofBrontosaurus (blue), with theinner planets andJupiter (outermost) | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | E. W. Elst |
| Discovery site | La Silla Obs. |
| Discovery date | 22 September 1990 |
| Designations | |
| (9949) Brontosaurus | |
| Pronunciation | /ˌbrɒntəˈsɔːrəs/[2] |
Named after | Brontosaurus (sauropod dinosaur)[3] |
| 1990 SK6 · 1978 GT1 1985 DM1 · 1992 BS | |
| main-belt[1][4] · (inner) | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 38.98 yr (14,236 days) |
| Aphelion | 2.4982AU |
| Perihelion | 2.2105 AU |
| 2.3544 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0611 |
| 3.61yr (1,319 days) | |
| 322.53° | |
| 0° 16m 22.08s / day | |
| Inclination | 7.7036° |
| 29.841° | |
| 174.63° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 4.231±0.086 km[5] 17 km[6] |
| 0.248±0.010[5] | |
| 13.8[1] | |
9949 Brontosaurus, provisional designation1990 SK6, is a stonyasteroid from the inner regions of theasteroid belt, roughly 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 22 September 1990, by Belgian astronomerEric Elst at ESO'sLa Silla Observatory in northern Chile.[4] It was named afterBrontosaurus, a genus ofdinosaurs.[3]
Brontosaurus orbits the Sun in theinner main-belt at a distance of 2.2–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 7 months (1,319 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.06 and aninclination of 8° with respect to theecliptic.[1] It was first identified as1978 GT1 atCrimea–Nauchnij in 1978, extending the body'sobservation arc by 12 years prior to its official discovery observation at La Silla.[4]
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical SatelliteIRAS and NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequentNEOWISE mission,Brontosaurus measures 17 and 4.231 kilometers in diameter, respectively.[5][6] WISE/NEOWISE also gives analbedo of 0.248 for the body's surface.[5] It has anabsolute magnitude of 13.8.[1]
As of 2017, the asteroid'srotation period and shape remain unknown.[1][7]
Thisminor planet was named afterBrontosaurus, a gigantic quadruped sauropod dinosaurs, which walked on all four legs and lived in the Upper Jurassic. Adult individuals measured up to 20 meters and had a weight of up to 20 tons. ManyFossils have been found in the United States. Brontosaurus is one of the best-known dinosaurs.[3] The official naming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 20 November 2002 (M.P.C. 47166).[8]
