14 Irene facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
14 Irene

Discovery
Discovered by	John Russell Hind
Discovery date	May 19, 1851
Designations
Alternative names	A906 QC; A913 EA; 1952 TM
Minor planet category	Main belt
Orbital characteristics
Epoch July 14, 2004 (JD 2453200.5)
Aphelion	451.858 Gm (3.020 AU)
Perihelion	321.602 Gm (2.150 AU)
Semi-major axis	386.730 Gm (2.585 AU)
Eccentricity	0.168
Orbital period	1518.176 d (4.16 a)
Average orbital speed	18.52 km/s
Mean anomaly	326.489°
Inclination	9.106°
Longitude of ascending node	86.493°
Argument of perihelion	96.473°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	181.8 km
Mass	6.3×1018 kg [reference needed]
Mean density	2 ? g/cm³
Surface gravity	0.051 m/s²
Escape velocity	0.096 km/s
Rotation period	0.6275 d
Albedo	0.160
Temperature	~170 K
Spectral type	S-type asteroid
Apparent magnitude	8.84 to 12.25
Absolute magnitude (H)	6.30
Angular diameter	0.17" to 0.052"

14 Irene is a very big Main belt asteroid.

14 Irene was found by J. R. Hind on May 19, 1851, and named after Eirene, a personification of peace in Greek mythology. She was one of the Horae, daughter of Zeus and Themis. The name was suggested by Sir John Herschel. Hind wrote,

"You will readily discover that this name [...] has some relation to this event (the Great Industrial Exhibition) which is now filling our metropolis [London] with the talent of all civilised nations, with those of Peace, the productions of Art and Science, in which all mankind must feel an interest."

The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in the Crystal Palace of Hyde Park, London ran from May 1 until October 18, 1851.

Hind suggested that the symbol for the asteroid should be "A dove carrying an olive-branch, with a star on its head", but an actual drawing of the symbol was never made before the use of graphical symbols to represent asteroids was no longer used.

There have been four reported stellar occultations by Irene.

• Gould, B.A., New planet, Astronomical Journal, Vol. 2, iss. 27, p. 22, June 1851