Discovery date 17 February 1873 Observation arc 122.35 yr (44690 d) Orbits Sun Discovery site Litchfield Observatory | Minor planet category Main belt Discovered 17 February 1873 Named after Electra Moon S/2003 (130) 1 | |
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Discovered by Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters Aphelion 3.77969 AU (565.434 Gm) Perihelion 2.47815 AU (370.726 Gm) Discoverer Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters Similar Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters discoveries, Other celestial objects | ||
130 Elektra is a very large outer main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on February 17, 1873, and named after Electra, an avenger in Greek mythology.
Its spectrum is of the G type, hence it probably has a Ceres-like composition. Spectral signatures of organic compounds have been seen on Elektra's surface.
In the late 1990s, a network of astronomers worldwide gathered lightcurve data that was ultimately used to derive the spin states and shape models of 10 new asteroids, including (130) Elektra. The light curve of (130) Elektra forms a double sinusoid while the shape model is elongated and the derived rotation axis is perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic.
Optical observations have found two satellites of this asteroid. Once the orbits are known, Elektra's mass can be reliably found. The value of 6.6×1018 kg indicates a density of 1.3 ± 0.3 g/cm3. Optical observations have also determined that Elektra's shape is quite irregular, as well as giving indications of albedo differences of 5-15% on its surface.
Satellites S/2003 (130) 1 and S/2014 (130) 1
In 2003, a small moon of (130) Elektra was detected using the Keck II telescope. The diameter of the satellite is 4 km and it orbits at a distance of about 1170 km. The satellite has been given the provisional designation S/2003 (130) 1. Due to only a few observations to date, its orbit is still relatively loosely constrained. In December 2014 a slightly smaller moon, orbiting Elektra about three times closer than S/2003 (130) 1, was discovered using the SPHERE instrument on the VLT's Melipal (UT3) telescope. This second satellite has been provisionally named S/2014 (130) 1.