Discovered by E. Bowell MPC designation 13003 Dickbeasley Minor planet category main-belt · (inner) Absolute magnitude 13.7 Discoverer Edward L. G. Bowell Asteroid group Asteroid belt | Discovery date 21 March 1982 Alternative names 1982 FN · 1982 HJ2 Discovered 21 March 1982 Orbits Sun | |
Named after Dick Beasley (NAU, artist) | ||
13003 Dickbeasley, provisional designation 1982 FN, is a stony asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 6 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Edward Bowell at Lowell's Anderson Mesa Station on 21 March 1982.
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.0–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 1 month (1,495 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.21 and an inclination of 27° with respect to the ecliptic. As no precoveries were taken, the asteroid's observation arc begins with its discovery in 1982.
A rotational light-curve for this asteroid was obtained from photometric observations made at the Phillips Academy Observatory (I12) in April 2015. It showed a rotation period of 7000350200000000000♠3.502±0.001 hours with a brightness variation of 0.44 in magnitude (U=3-). One month later, in May 2015, observations at Texas Tech's Preston Gott Observatory gave a similar concurring period of 7000349990000000000♠3.4999±0.0005 hours with an amplitude of 0.30 in magnitude (U=3-). The first light-curve was obtained at the U.S. Palomar Transient Factory in September 2012, which gave a period of 7000349920000000000♠3.4992±0.0090 hours and amplitude of 0.42 (U=2).
According to the surveys carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the asteroid measures 8.2 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.07, while he Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 5.4 kilometers, based on an absolute magnitude of 13.7.
The minor planet was named in memory of Richard "Dick" E. Beasley (1934–1992), a teacher and administrator at Northern Arizona University. He was also a multi-media artist and a preeminent figure in the calligraphic world. Naming citation was published on 9 February 2009 (M.P.C. 65122).