71 Niobe
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71 NiobeTemplate:Efn is a stony Gallia asteroid and relatively slow rotator from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately Template:Convert in diameter. It was discovered by the German astronomer Robert Luther on 13 August 1861, and named after Niobe, a character in Greek mythology. In 1861, the brightness of this asteroid was shown to vary by astronomer Friedrich Tietjen.<ref name="Harwood-1924"/>
Description
Niobe is a member of the Gallia family (Template:Small), a small family of nearly 200 known stony asteroids.<ref name="Nesvorny-2014" />
In 2006, it was examined by radar using the Arecibo Observatory radio telescope in Puerto Rico. This was supplemented by optical observations intended to build a lightcurve. The resulting estimated rotation period of 35.6 hours, or 1.48 Earth days, superseded an earlier estimate of the rotation period as 14.3 hours. The radar data produced an estimate of a maximum equatorial diameter of 94 km, which is consistent with earlier estimates based upon infrared data if the shape is assumed to be slightly elongated.<ref name="Warner-2006p" />Template:Efn
The rotation period was further refined to Template:Nowrap during observations through 2010. Six stellar occultations of this asteroid between 2004 and 2007 produced chords ranging from Template:Convert, which are statistically consistent with the published maximum diameter estimates.<ref name="Pilcher-2010f" />
Notes
References
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
- Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
- Template:AstDys
- Template:JPL small body
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