4183 Cuno

4183 Cuno, provisional designation Template:Mp, is an eccentric, rare-type asteroid, classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, and measures approximately 4 kilometers in diameter.

It was discovered on 5 June 1959, by German astronomer Cuno Hoffmeister at Boyden Observatory in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and later named in the discoverer's honor.<ref name="springer" /><ref name="MPC-Cuno" />

Classification and orbit

Cuno orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.7–3.2 AU once every 2 years and 9 months (1,019 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.63 and an inclination of 7° with respect to the ecliptic.<ref name="jpldata" /> The body's observation arc begins with its identification as Template:Mp, the first used observation made at Palomar Observatory in 1986, approximately 27 years after its official discovery observation at Boyden.<ref name="MPC-Cuno" />

The asteroid has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of Template:Convert, which translates into 11 lunar distances.<ref name="jpldata" /> Cuno approaches the Earth to within 40 million kilometers six times in the 21st century. On 20 May 2012, it made its closest Earth approach at a distance of Template:Convert.<ref name=jpl-close/> It will not make a closer approach until 2093 when it will pass Earth at Template:Convert.<ref name=jpl-close/>

Due to its eccentric orbit, it is also a Mars and Venus-crosser.<ref name="jpldata" />

Physical characteristics

Spectral type and composition

Cuno is a stony S-type asteroid.<ref name="Carry-2016" /> As it has a reflective surface, composed of a mixture different silicates, nickel and iron, Cuno has been characterized as a rare Q-type asteroid by the 1-meter Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope on La Palma, Pan-STARRSTemplate:' large-scale magnitude survey, and NASA IRTF telescope.<ref name="Dandy-2003" /><ref name="Thomas-2014" /><ref name="Veres-2015" /> On the SMASS taxonomic scheme, Cuno is a Sq-subtype, a transitional group between the S and Q types.<ref name="jpldata" />

Rotation and shape

Several rotational lightcurves were obtained by Czech astronomer Petr Pravec and American astronomer Brian Warner between 1998 and 2014. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 3.56 hours with a high brightness amplitude between 0.47 and 0.83 in magnitude, indicating that the body has a non-spheroidal shape.<ref name="Warner-2015h" />Template:EfnTemplate:Efn

In December 2000, Cuno was analysed by radar to determine its shape. The resultant images are lacking in detail, but indicate a rough sphere with some kind of concave depression 1–2 km in diameter.Template:Citation needed

Diameter and albedo

Following the space-based surveys carried out by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and the NEOWISE mission of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Cuno has an albedo between 0.097 and 0.36, and a diameter between 2.945 and 5.618 kilometers.<ref name="Nugent-2015" /><ref name="Nugent-2016" /><ref name="Harris-2011" /><ref name="Trilling-2010" /><ref name="WISE" />

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for the stony asteroid of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 3.9 kilometer with an absolute magnitude of 14.4, as the higher the body's albedo (reflectivity), the lower its diameter at a constant absolute magnitude (brightness).<ref name="lcdb" />

Naming

This minor planet was named after its discoverer, Cuno Hoffmeister, according to the established practice to name near-Earth asteroids with a four-letter masculine name.<ref name="springer" /> The central main-belt asteroid 1726 Hoffmeister, namesake of the Hofmeister family, is also named after the discoverer. The official naming citation was published on 28 May 1991 (Template:Small).<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive" />

External links

• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Template:Webarchive)
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
• Template:NeoDys
• Template:ESA-SSA
• Template:JPL small body