15268 Wendelinefroger, provisional designation 1990 WF3, is a stony, spheroidal, and binary[a] Nysian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.4 kilometers in diameter.

15268 Wendelinefroger
Discovery[1]
Discovered byE. W. Elst
Discovery siteLa Silla Obs.
Discovery date18 November 1990
Designations
(15268) Wendelinefroger
Named after
Wendeline Froger
(Belgian singer)[2]
1990 WF3 · 1979 WA7
1986 PO5 · 1999 CD133
main-belt · (inner)[3]
Nysa
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc37.29 yr (13,619 days)
Aphelion2.9209 AU
Perihelion1.8107 AU
2.3658 AU
Eccentricity0.2346
3.64 yr (1,329 days)
171.04°
0° 16m 15.24s / day
Inclination2.7540°
144.06°
210.29°
Known satellites1[4][a]
Physical characteristics
Dimensions3.41 km (calculated)[3]
2.4224±0.0001 h[5]
0.20 (assumed)[3]
S[3]
14.7[1][3] · 14.82±0.04[6]

It was discovered on 18 November 1990, by Belgian astronomer Eric Elst at ESO's La Silla Observatory in northern Chile, and named after Belgian singer Wendeline Froger.[2][7]

Orbit

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The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.8–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 8 months (1,329 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.23 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] It was first identified as 1979 WA7 at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1979, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 11 years prior to its discovery.[7]

Physical characteristics

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Primary

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In October 2008, a rotational lightcurve was obtained from photometric observations at the Leura Observatory (E17), Australia. It gave a rotation period of 2.422 hours with a low brightness variation of 0.07 magnitude, which indicates that the asteroid is of nearly spheroidal shape (U=3).[5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 3.4 kilometer with an absolute magnitude of 14.7.[3]

Secondary

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During the photometric observations in 2008, a minor-planet moon was also discovered, orbiting Wendelinefroger every 25.07±0.02 hours at a distance of 8.7 kilometers.[4][5] Based on mutual occultations of Wendelinefroger and its moon, the diameter ratio for the two bodies is at least 0.24 (i.e. secondary-to-primary mean diameter ratio),[a] which translates into an estimated diameter of 0.8 kilometer or more for the asteroid's moon, using CALL's calculated diameter for the primary.

Naming

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This minor planet is named in honour of Belgian female singer Wendeline Froger (born 1948), who has a soprano voice and performs at church celebrations, weddings and for selected audiences at her residence. She has a preference to sing Lieder by Robert Schumann, after whom the minor planet 4003 Schumann is named.[2] The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 12 December 2008 (M.P.C. 64563).[8]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams - No.1542, 20 October 2008
    Photometric observations obtained between 24 September and 9 October 2008, showed that 15268 Wendelinefroger is a binary system with an orbital period of 25.07±0.02 hours. The primary has a rotation period of 2.4224±0.0001 hours, with a lightcurve brightness variation of 0.07 magnitude, indicating a nearly spheroidal shape. Mutual eclipse/occultation events give a lower limit on the Ds/Dp of 0.27 (i.e. a secondary-to-primary mean-diameter ratio).
    Reported by – J. Oey, Leura Observatory, N.S.W., Australia; P. Pravec, P. Kusnirak, and K. Hornoch, Ondrejov Observatory; R. Stephens, Goat Mountain Astronomical Research Station, Yucca Valley, CA, U.S.A.; S. Gajdos and L. Kornos, Modra Observatory; and V. Chiorny, Institute of Astronomy, Kharkiv National University, Electronic Telegram No. 1542

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 15268 Wendelinefroger (1990 WF3)" (2017-03-01 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2009). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005 – (15268) Wendelinefroger. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 69. ISBN 978-3-642-01964-7.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (15268) Wendelinefroger". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b Johnston, Robert. "(15268) Wendelinefroger". johnstonsarchive.net. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Oey, J.; Pravec, P.; Kusnirak, P.; Hornoch, K.; Stephens, R.; Gajdos, S.; et al. (October 2008). "(15268) 1990 WF3". Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams. 1542 (1542): 1. Bibcode:2008CBET.1542....1O. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  6. ^ Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. S2CID 53493339. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  7. ^ a b "15268 Wendelinefroger (1990 WF3)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  8. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
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