Discovered by J. Schubart MPC designation 2000 Herschel Minor planet category main-belt Discovered 29 July 1960 Discoverer Joachim Schubart | Discovery date 29 July 1960 Alternative names 1960 OA · 1934 NX Observation arc 81.52 yr (29774 days) Orbits Sun Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Similar Solar System, Asteroid belt, Sun, 5535 Annefrank, 1862 Apollo | ||
2000 Herschel, provisional designation 1960 OA, is a stony asteroid from the asteroid belt, about 17 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by astronomer Joachim Schubart at Sonneberg Observatory, Germany on 29 July 1960. The eccentric orbit of the slowly rotating S-type asteroid with an albedo of 0.2 is inclined by 23 degrees to the ecliptic.
Analysis of the light curve for this object appears to show that it is tumbling, with rotation occurring about the non-principal axis. The rotation period is estimated as 7002130000000000000♠130±3 hours, during which time the magnitude of the object varies by 7000115999999999999♠1.16±0.05 in magnitude. The relatively high orbital eccentricity of this object causes it to come close to the orbit of the planet Mars. This means there is a chance it will eventually collide with the planet, with the odds of a collision estimated at 18% per billion orbits.
It is named in honour of the English astronomer of German origin William Herschel who discovered Uranus. While the minor planet with number "1000", 1000 Piazzia, honours the discoverer of the first minor planet, Giuseppe Piazzi, number "2000" does so for Herschel, discoverer of the first telescopic major planet.