14 Irene facts for kids
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | John Russell Hind |
| Discovery date | May 19, 1851 |
| Designations | |
| A906 QC; A913 EA; 1952 TM |
|
| 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) |
| 386.730 Gm (2.585 AU) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.168 |
| 1518.176 d (4.16 a) | |
|
Average orbital speed
|
18.52 km/s |
| 326.489° | |
| Inclination | 9.106° |
| 86.493° | |
| 96.473° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 181.8 km |
| Mass | 6.3×1018 kg [reference needed] |
|
Mean density
|
2 ? g/cm³ |
| 0.051 m/s² | |
| 0.096 km/s | |
| 0.6275 d | |
| Albedo | 0.160 |
| Temperature | ~170 K |
|
Spectral type
|
S-type asteroid |
| 8.84 to 12.25 | |
| 6.30 | |
| 0.17" to 0.052" | |
14 Irene is a very large main belt asteroid. It travels around the Sun in the main asteroid belt, which is a busy area between the planets Mars and Jupiter.
Contents
Discovery of Irene
Finding a New Space Rock
The asteroid 14 Irene was discovered by an astronomer named John Russell Hind. He found it on May 19, 1851. This was an exciting discovery at the time.
How Irene Got Its Name
After finding the asteroid, J. R. Hind named it after Eirene. In Greek mythology, Eirene is the personification of peace. She was one of the Horae, who were goddesses of the seasons and natural order. Eirene was also known as a daughter of Zeus and Themis.
The name "Irene" was suggested by Sir John Herschel, another famous astronomer. Hind explained that the name was connected to a big event happening in London at the time.
The Great Exhibition Connection
The event Hind mentioned was the Great Industrial Exhibition. This huge exhibition took place in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London. It ran from May 1 to October 18, 1851.
The exhibition showed off amazing new inventions and art from many different countries. Hind felt that the name Irene, meaning "peace," was perfect because the exhibition brought people together. It celebrated the "productions of Art and Science" which everyone could appreciate.
Asteroid Symbol
For a while, astronomers used special symbols to represent asteroids. Hind suggested a symbol for 14 Irene. He thought it should be "A dove carrying an olive-branch, with a star on its head." This symbol also represents peace. However, a drawing of this symbol was never officially made. Eventually, astronomers stopped using these graphical symbols for asteroids.
Observing Irene
Astronomers have observed 14 Irene closely over the years. There have been four times when Irene passed in front of a distant star. When an asteroid blocks a star's light, it's called a stellar occultation. These events help scientists learn more about the asteroid's size and shape.
See also
In Spanish: (14) Irene para niños
