(2044) Wirt

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 28 November 2008

Orbital elements and other data (Assumed or derived values in parenthesis, my estimates in italics and parenthesis. Source identifications in brackets, see this link for sources):

orbital data, primary (osculating elements) [JPL]:
semimajor axis a: 2.3818768 AU
orbital period P: 3.6761 y (=1,342.7 d)
eccentricity e: 0.3413483
perihelion distance q: 1.5688272 AU
aphelion distance Q: 3.19492640 AU
inclination i: 24.0118°
argument of perihelion omega: 50.05419°
ascending node OMEGA: 53.79447°
mean anomaly M: 7.03761°
perihelion passage TP: 2006-02-07.7517673
Epoch: 6 MAR 2006
data arc: 1950-2005 (287 obs.)

orbital data, secondary:
semimajor axis a: (16 km?)
semimajor axis/primary radius a/Rp: (4?)
orbital period P: 18.97 ± 0.01 h [C353]
eccentricity e: ?

other data, primary:
diameter: (8 km?)
absolute magnitude H: 13.3 [JPL]
rotation period: 3.6898 ± 0.0001 h [C353]
amplitude delta M: 0.26; 0.07-0.15 [C353]
color index B-V: ?
color index V-R: ?
color index R-I: ?
slope parameter G: (0.15) assumed
geometric albedo: (0.12) assumed
mass: ?
density: ?
type: ?

other data, secondary:
diameter: (2 km?)
diameter ratio Ds/Dp: 0.25 ± 0.02 [C353]
component magnitude difference: (3.0)
rotation period: ?

--(2044) Wirt--discovery and notes:

Primary discovered 8 November 1950 by C. A. Wirtanen from Mount Hamilton. Alternate designation 1950 VE.

Secondary discovered by D. Pray, P. Pravec, P. Kusnirak, W. Cooney, J. Gross, D. Terrell, A. Galad, S. Gajdos, J. Vilagi, and R. Durkee based on lightcurve observations obtained 8-29 December 2005; announced 6 January 2006.

See more information and links at Asteroid/Comet Connection Catchall Catalog page

--Links, more technical:

--Links, less technical:

--Links to ADS abstracts:

© 2006, 2008 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 28 November 2008.
Return to Home. Return to Astronomy and Space. Return to Asteroids with Satellites.