6708 Bobbievaile
Discovery [1]
Discovered byR. H. McNaught
Discovery siteSiding Spring Obs.
Discovery date4 January 1989
Designations
(6708) Bobbievaile
Named after
Bobbie Vaile
(astrophysicist)[2]
1989 AA5 · 1979 PF
1989 CM9 · 1994 LB
main-belt · (inner)[3]
background
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc37.81 yr (13,811 days)
Aphelion2.8864 AU
Perihelion2.0045 AU
2.4455 AU
Eccentricity0.1803
3.82 yr (1,397 days)
349.25°
0° 15m 27.72s / day
Inclination12.076°
115.81°
193.50°
Known satellites1 (period: 24.7 h)[4][3]
Physical characteristics
Dimensions8.074±0.176 km[5]
12.3415±0.0004 h[3]
0.169±0.016[5]
S [3]
13.1[1]

    6708 Bobbievaile, provisional designation 1989 AA5, is a stony background asteroid and asynchronous binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 4 January 1989, by Australian astronomer Robert McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia.[6] It is named after Bobbie Vaile.[2]

    Orbit and classification

    Bobbievaile is a stony, non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 10 months (1,397 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 12° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

    It was first observed as 1979 PF at El Leoncito in 1979, extending the body's observation arc by 10 years prior to its official discovery observation at Siding Spring.[6]

    Binary asteroid

    On 7 May 2009, it was announced that Bobbievaile was determined to be a binary asteroid based on a series of lightcurve observations. Bobbievaile (the primary) is estimated to have a diameter of 8.02±0.02 km, and its minor-planet moon (the secondary) to have a diameter of approximately 4.57 km.[4] The primary is probably spherical.

    Naming

    This minor planet was named in memory of Australian astrophysicist Roberta Anne "Bobbie" Vaile (1959–1996), lecturer at Western Sydney University. She was a SETI enthusiast and participated in both the establishment of the SETI Australia Centre and the conduction of Project Phoenix.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 22 April 1997 (M.P.C. 29671).[7]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 6708 Bobbievaile (1989 AA5)" (2017-06-06 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(6708) Bobbievaile". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (6708) Bobbievaile. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 551. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_6048. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. 1 2 3 4 "LCDB Data for (6708) Bobbievaile". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 13 March 2017.
    4. 1 2 Johnston, Robert. "(6708) Bobbievaile". johnstonsarchive.net. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
    5. 1 2 Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv:1406.6645. Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
    6. 1 2 "6708 Bobbievaile (1989 AA5)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
    7. ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
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