736 Harvard
Discovery [1]
Discovered byJ. H. Metcalf
Discovery siteWinchester Obs.
Discovery date16 November 1912
Designations
(736) Harvard
Named after
Harvard University [2]
(Cambridge, Massachusetts)
A912 WC · 1937 FC
1947 HB · 1912 PZ
Orbital characteristics [3]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc106.85 yr (39,027 d)
Aphelion2.5653 AU
Perihelion1.8382 AU
2.2018 AU
Eccentricity0.1651
3.27 yr (1,193 d)
28.744°
0° 18m 6.12s / day
Inclination4.3767°
135.91°
200.51°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
  • 16.66±0.6 km[7]
  • 17.111±0.125 km[8]
  • 17.92±0.27 km[9]
6.7 h[10][11]
  • 0.122±0.004[9]
  • 0.133±0.022[8]
  • 0.1406±0.011[7]

    736 Harvard (prov. designation: A912 WC or 1912 PZ) is a stony background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 17 kilometers (11 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 16 November 1912, by American astronomer Joel Hastings Metcalf at the Winchester Observatory (799).[1] The bright S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 6.7 hours. It was named after Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[2]

    Orbit and classification

    Located in the orbital region of the Flora family (402), Harvard is a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population when applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements.[4][5][6] It orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 1.8–2.6 AU once every 3 years and 3 months (1,193 days; semi-major axis of 2.2 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.[3] The body's observation arc begins at Heidelberg Observatory on 9 December 1912, or three weeks after its official discovery observation by Metcalf at Winchester.[1]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named in honor of the prestigious Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The naming was also mentioned in The Names of the Minor Planets by Paul Herget in 1955 (H 74).[2]

    Physical characteristics

    In the Tholen classification, Harvard is a common, stony S-type asteroid.[3][5]

    Rotation period

    In 1970s, a rotational lightcurve of Harvard was obtained from photometric observations by Ed Tedesco.[11] Lightcurve analysis gave a well-defined rotation period of 6.7 hours with a brightness variation of 0.32 magnitude (U=3).[10]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), and the Japanese Akari satellite, Harvard measures (16.66±0.6), (17.111±0.125) and (17.92±0.27) kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of (0.1406±0.011), (0.133±0.022) and (0.122±0.004), respectively.[7][8][9] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.2051 and a diameter of 16.89 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.2.[10] An asteroid occultation observed on 25 May 2003, gave a best-fit ellipse dimension of (9.0 km × 9.0 km) with a low quality rating of 1.[5] These timed observations are taken when the asteroid passes in front of a distant star.[5]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 "736 Harvard (A912 WC)". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    2. 1 2 3 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(736) Harvard". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 70. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_737. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 736 Harvard (A912 WC)" (2019-10-16 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    4. 1 2 "Asteroid 736 Harvard – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Asteroid 736 Harvard". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    6. 1 2 Zappalà, V.; Bendjoya, Ph.; Cellino, A.; Farinella, P.; Froeschle, C. (1997). "Asteroid Dynamical Families". NASA Planetary Data System: EAR-A-5-DDR-FAMILY-V4.1. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2020.} (PDS main page Archived 11 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine)
    7. 1 2 3 4 Tedesco, E. F.; Noah, P. V.; Noah, M.; Price, S. D. (October 2004). "IRAS Minor Planet Survey V6.0". NASA Planetary Data System. 12: IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0. Bibcode:2004PDSS...12.....T. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    8. 1 2 3 4 Mainzer, A. K.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Grav, T.; Kramer, E. A.; Masiero, J. R.; et al. (June 2016). "NEOWISE Diameters and Albedos V1.0". NASA Planetary Data System: EAR-A-COMPIL-5-NEOWISEDIAM-V1.0. Bibcode:2016PDSS..247.....M. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    9. 1 2 3 4 Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. (online Archived 29 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine, AcuA catalog p. 153 Archived 25 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine)
    10. 1 2 3 "LCDB Data for (736) Harvard". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
    11. 1 2 Tedesco, E.F. (1979), PhD Dissertation, New. Mex. State Univ., p. 280
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