41 Daphne
Daphne (minor planet designation: 41 Daphne) is a large asteroid from the asteroid belt. It is a dark-surfaced body 174 km in diameter is probably composed of primitive carbonaceous chondrites. The spectra of the asteroid displays evidence of aqueous alteration. It was discovered by H. Goldschmidt on May 22, 1856, and named after Daphne, the nymph in Greek mythology who was turned into a laurel tree. Incorrect orbital calculations initially resulted in 56 Melete being mistaken for a second sighting of Daphne. Daphne was not sighted again until August 31, 1862.
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | H. Goldschmidt |
| Discovery date | May 22, 1856 |
| Designations | |
MPC designation | (41) Daphne |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdæfni/ |
Named after | Daphnē |
Alternative designations | 1949 TG |
Minor planet category | Main belt |
| Adjectives | Daphnean /ˈdæfniən/ |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 31 December 2006 (JD 2454100.5) | |
| Aphelion | 3.517 AU (526.144 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 2.014 AU (301.220 Gm) |
Semi-major axis | 2.765 AU (413.682 Gm) |
| Eccentricity | 0.272 |
Orbital period (sidereal) | 4.60 a (1,679.618 d) |
Mean anomaly | 247.500° |
| Inclination | 15.765° |
Longitude of ascending node | 178.159° |
| 46.239° | |
| Known satellites | Peneius /pɛˈniːəs/ (S/2008 (41) 1) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | c/a = 0.65±0.08 213×160 km 239x183x153 km |
Mean diameter | 187±13 km 205.5±1.9 189 km |
| Mass | (6.1±0.9)×1018 kg ≈ 6.8×1018 kg |
Mean density | 1.78±0.45 g/cm3 ≈ 1.95 g/cm³ |
Synodic rotation period | 5.9 hr |
| 0.052 (calculated) 0.083 | |
| C | |
| 7.12 | |
The orbit of 41 Daphne places it in a 9:22 mean motion resonance with the planet Mars. The computed Lyapunov time for this asteroid is 14,000 years, indicating that it occupies a chaotic orbit that will change randomly over time because of gravitational perturbations of the planets.
In 1999, Daphne occulted three stars, and on July 2, 1999, produced eleven chords indicating an ellipsoid of 213×160 km. Daphnean lightcurves also suggest that the asteroid is irregular in shape. Daphne was observed by Arecibo radar in April 2008. Based upon radar data, the near surface solid density of the asteroid is 2.4+0.7
−0.5 g cm−3.