Discovered by P. P. Henry Alternative names none Observation arc 138.63 yr (50635 d) Orbits Sun Discoverer Paul Henry Discovery site Paris Observatory | Discovery date 13 January 1875 Minor planet category Main belt Discovered 13 January 1875 Asteroid family Eunomia family | |
Aphelion 3.23723 AU (484.283 Gm) Similar 165 Loreley, 127 Johanna, 162 Laurentia, 142 Polana | ||
141 Lumen is a dark (C-type), large rocky asteroid 130 km in diameter orbiting in the main belt near the Eunomia family of asteroids.
It was discovered on January 13, 1875, by the brothers Paul Henry and Prosper Henry, but Paul is the one who was given the credit for this discovery. It is named for Lumen: Récits de l'infini, a book by the astronomer Camille Flammarion.
Richard P. Binzel and Schelte J. Bus further added to the knowledge about this asteroid in a light-curve survey published in 2003. This project was known as Small Main-belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey, Phase II or SMASSII, which built on a previous survey of the main-belt asteroids. The visible-wavelength (0.435–0.925 micrometre) spectra data was gathered between August 1993 and March 1999.
Lightcurve data has also been recorded by observers at the Antelope Hill Observatory, which has been designated as an official observatory by the Minor Planet Center.