279 Thule facts for kids
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Johann Palisa |
| Discovery date | 25 October 1888 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | (279) Thule |
| Pronunciation | THEW-lee |
| 1927 EC, 1954 FF, A920 GA, A923 RA | |
| Asteroid belt (Thule) | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 125.34 yr (45780 d) |
| Aphelion | 4.4617880 AU (667.47398 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 4.2367660 AU (633.81117 Gm) |
| 4.3492770 AU (650.64258 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.025869 |
| 9.07 yr (3313.0 d) | |
| 62.75874° | |
|
Mean motion
|
0° 6m 31.184s / day |
| Inclination | 2.323774° |
| 72.46791° | |
| 42.36797° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 126.59±3.7 km (IRAS) |
| 23.896 h (0.9957 d) | |
| 0.0412±0.003 | |
| Temperature | 133 K |
| B−V=0.75 U−B=0.32 D (Tholen) X (SMASSII) |
|
| 8.57 | |
279 Thule is a very large asteroid found in the Main Asteroid Belt. It is known as a D-type asteroid. Scientists think it is mostly made of organic-rich silicates, carbon, and dry silicates.
Contents
About 279 Thule
Thule is one of the biggest asteroids in the Main Belt. It is about 126.59 kilometers (78.66 miles) wide. It spins quite slowly, taking almost 24 hours to complete one rotation.
Thule's Special Orbit
The way Thule moves around the Sun is quite unusual. It orbits at the very edge of the Main Belt. Thule has a special link with Jupiter. This link is called a 3:4 orbital resonance. This means that for every 3 times Jupiter orbits the Sun, Thule orbits 4 times.
Most objects in the Main Belt have a certain amount of "wobble" in their orbit. This wobble is called eccentricity. Thule's orbit is very round, meaning it has a very low eccentricity. It is even rounder than Jupiter's orbit and only a little more wobbly than Earth's orbit.
Scientists are still trying to understand why Thule has such a unique and stable orbit. They also wonder why there are not many other smaller asteroids with similar orbits near Thule.
Jupiter's Influence on Thule
Some astronomers believe that Jupiter's strong gravity keeps Thule in its current orbit. This is similar to how Jupiter's gravity creates empty spaces, called Kirkwood gaps, in other parts of the asteroid belt.
It is possible that the same force that keeps Thule in its stable, low-eccentricity orbit also pushes away other smaller asteroids. These smaller asteroids might have orbits that are only slightly different from Thule's.
Thule Dynamical Group
279 Thule is the main member of a group of asteroids called the Thule dynamical group. This means other asteroids might share similar orbital paths or characteristics because of Jupiter's influence.
Discovery and Naming
The asteroid 279 Thule was found by an astronomer named Johann Palisa. He discovered it on October 25, 1888. Palisa made this discovery in Vienna, a city in Austria.
The asteroid was named after "Thule." This is a mythical land that was thought to be the northernmost place in the world. The name fits because 279 Thule orbits at the very far edge of the Main Asteroid Belt.
