Discovered by James Craig Watson Minor planet category Main belt Observation arc 100.79 yr (36812 d) Discovered 16 September 1868 Spectral type C-type asteroid Named after Artemis | Discovery date 16 September 1868 Adjectives Artemidean, Artemidian Aphelion 2.7952 AU (418.16 Gm) Orbits Sun Discoverer James Craig Watson Discovery site Detroit Observatory | |
Similar 128 Nemesis, 230 Athamantis, 193 Ambrosia, 36 Atalante, 161 Athor | ||
105 Artemis is a main-belt asteroid that was discovered by J. C. Watson on September 16, 1868, at Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was named after Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, moon, and crossways in Greek Mythology.
Several Artemidian stellar occultations have been reported. An occultation of the star HD 197999 was observed in 1982, which gave an estimated chord length of 110 km. It is a C-type asteroid, meaning that it is very dark and composed of carbonaceous material. Although is shares a similar orbit to the Phocaea family of S-type asteroids, its classification means 105 Artemis is not a member.
In 1988, this object was detected with radar from the Arecibo Observatory at a distance of 1.07 AU. The measured radar cross-section was 1,800 km2. Photometric measurement of this asteroid made in 2010 at Organ Mesa Observatory in Las Cruces, New Mexico, produced an irregular light curve with a period of 37.150 ± 0.001 hours. During each rotation, the brightness varies by 0.16 ± 0.01 in magnitude.
Based upon radar data, the estimated near surface solid density of the asteroid is 3.0+0.9
−0.8 g cm−3. Refined observations by the Arecibo Observatory, reported in 2006, showed a complex surface with varying albedo. Analysis of the spectra of 105 Artemis shows the presence of hydrated minerals at some rotation angles, but not at others.