1721_Wells

1721 Wells

1721 Wells

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1721 Wells, provisional designation 1953 TD3, is a dark asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 44 kilometers in diameter.

Quick Facts Discovery, Discovered by ...

It was discovered on 3 October 1953, by IU's Indiana Asteroid Program at Goethe Link Observatory near Brooklyn, Indiana, United States.[4] It was named after UI's president and chancellor Herman B Wells.[2]

Orbit and classification

Wells orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 3.0–3.3 AU once every 5 years and 7 months (2,043 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.05 and an inclination of 16° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

First identified as A905 CG at Heidelberg in 1905, Well's first used observation was taken at Turku in 1944, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 9 years prior to its official discovery observation.[4]

Physical characteristics

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Wells measures 43.576 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.045.[3] It has an absolute magnitude of 10.9.[1] As of 2017, Well's spectral type, rotation period and shape remain unknown.

Naming

This minor planet was named in honor of Herman B Wells (1902–2000), chancellor and president and of Indiana University, who has transformed Indiana University from a provincial college into a world-renowned institution of higher learning. During this time, Wells also fostered higher education nationally and internationally.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 15 June 1973 (M.P.C. 3508).[5]

References

  1. [1]
    "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1721 Wells (1953 TD3)" (2017-03-30 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  2. [2]
    Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1721) Wells". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1721) Wells. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 137. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1722. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. [3]
    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 22 December 2016.
  4. [4]
    "1721 Wells (1953 TD3)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  5. [5]
    Schmadel, Lutz D. (2009). "Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4. ISBN 978-3-642-01964-7.
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