659 Nestor facts for kids
| Discovery A | |
|---|---|
| Discoverer | Max Wolf |
| Discovery date | March 23, 1908 |
| Alternate designations |
1908 CS B |
| Category | Jupiter Trojan |
| Orbital elements C | |
|
|
|
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.117 |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 5.198 |
| Perihelion (q) | 4.593 |
| Aphelion (Q) | 5.804 |
| Orbital period (P) | 11.853 |
| Inclination (i) | 4.519 |
| Longitude of the ascending node (Ω) |
350.941 |
| Argument of perihelion (ω) |
340.737 |
| Mean anomaly (M) | 285.476 |
659 Nestor is a special type of asteroid called a Jupiter trojan. It travels around the Sun in the same path as the giant planet Jupiter.
Nestor is part of a group of these asteroids known as the "Greek Camp." These asteroids orbit about 60 degrees ahead of Jupiter. Think of it like a loyal companion always leading the way for Jupiter!
Contents
What is 659 Nestor?
659 Nestor is a minor planet, which is a small object that orbits the Sun but is not a planet. It's one of many thousands of asteroids found in our Solar System.
A Jupiter Trojan Asteroid
Jupiter trojans are asteroids that share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun. They are found in two main groups. One group, called the "Greek Camp," travels ahead of Jupiter. The other group, the "Trojan Camp," follows behind Jupiter.
These asteroids are held in place by the combined gravity of the Sun and Jupiter. This creates stable spots in space called Lagrange points. Nestor is located at the L4 Lagrange point, which is 60 degrees ahead of Jupiter.
Discovery of Nestor
659 Nestor was discovered by a famous German astronomer named Max Wolf. He found it on March 23, 1908.
How it Got Its Name
When Nestor was first found, it was given a temporary name: 1908 CS. Later, it was officially named 659 Nestor. It gets its name from Nestor, a wise king from ancient Greek mythology. He was a hero in the Trojan War. Many Jupiter trojan asteroids are named after heroes from this famous story.
Measuring Nestor's Size
Scientists can figure out the size of asteroids in different ways. One way is by watching them pass in front of a star. This event is called an occultation.
The Occultation Event
On June 30, 2006, 659 Nestor passed directly in front of a star named TYC 6854-00630. As Nestor blocked the star's light, astronomers on Earth could measure how long the star disappeared.
The star was hidden for 9.52 seconds. This measurement helped scientists estimate Nestor's size. They calculated that Nestor is at least 109 kilometers (about 68 miles) wide. That's a pretty big space rock!
