Discovered by C. Shoemaker MPC designation 3709 Polypoites Absolute magnitude 9 Discoverer Carolyn S. Shoemaker Asteroid group Jupiter trojan | Discovery date 14 October 1985 Discovered 14 October 1985 Orbits Sun Discovery site Palomar Observatory | |
Pronunciation ˌpɒliːˈpiːtiːz
(pol'-ee-pee'-teez) Named after Polypoites
(Greek mythology) Alternative names 1985 TL3 · 1971 OK1
1979 HQ2 · 1985 WK Similar Jupiter trojan, Sun, Solar System, 911 Agamemnon, 588 Achilles | ||
3709 Polypoites (POL'-ee-PEE'-teez), provisional designation 1985 TL3, is a large and very dark Jupiter trojan from the Greek camp, approximately 99 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker at the U.S. Palomar Observatory, California, on 14 October 1985.
The carbonaceous C-type asteroid is orbiting in the leading Greek camp, at Jupiter's L4 Lagrangian point 60° ahead of its orbit (see Trojans in astronomy). It orbits the Sun at a distance of 4.9–5.6 AU once every 12.00 years (4,383 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.06 and an inclination of 20° with respect to the ecliptic. The first used observation was made at the discovering observatory on 21 September 1985, extending the asteroid's observation arc by just 23 days prior to its discovery, while the first unused observation at Crimea–Nauchnij dates back to 1971.
In April 2015, the first reliable photometric light-curve analysis by Robert Stevens at the U.S. Center for Solar System Studies, California, rendered a rotation period of 7001141900000000000♠14.19±0.02 hours with a brightness variation of 0.15 in magnitude (U=3-). Previous observations from 2007 and 2010, were based on fragmentary light curves and gave 43 and 5.71 hours, respectively (U=1+/1).
According to 11 observations made by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite, IRAS, the Trojan asteroid measures 99 kilometers and has a very low albedo of 0.045. Other space-based surveys diverge significantly with higher albedos and smaller diameters: while the Japanese Akari satellite, gives an albedo of 0.062 and a diameter of 85.2, the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer finds an albedo of 0.087 and a diameter of 65.3 kilometers. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link gives preference to the observations performed by IRAS.
The minor planet was named after the Greek hero Polypoites, who fought during the Trojan War. In a competition among the Greek warriors he was able to throw an iron meteorite the farthest and won the game against Leonteus, after whom the minor planet 3793 Leonteus is named. On landing, the meteorite formed an impact crater. The body's name was suggested by Dorothy and Jerome Preston, with the remark that, had the Shoemakers been present, they would have examined the event closely. Naming citation was published on 2 April 1988 (M.P.C. 12976).