Discovered by C. Shoemaker MPC designation 3873 Roddy Minor planet category Mars-crosserHungaria Aphelion 2.15 m Discoverer Carolyn S. Shoemaker | Discovery date 21 November 1984 Alternative names 1984 WB · 1953 XK1 Discovered 21 November 1984 Orbits Sun | |
Named after David Roddy(astrogeologist) Similar 2577 Litva, Solar System, 3671 Dionysus, 5261 Eureka, 1862 Apollo | ||
3873 Roddy, provisional designation 1984 WB, is a stony Hungarian asteroid and Mars-crosser from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It is also a probable binary system. It was discovered by American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker at the U.S. Palomar Observatory, California, on 21 November 1984.
The S-type asteroid – also classified as a rare L-type – is a member of the Hungaria family, which form the innermost dense concentration of asteroids in the Solar System. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.6–2.1 AU once every 2 years and 7 months (951 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13 and an inclination of 23° with respect to the ecliptic. The first precovery was taken at the discovering observatory in 1953, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 31 years prior to its discovery.
According to the surveys carried out by NASA's NEOWISE mission and the Japanese Akari satellite, the asteroid measures 5.0 and 7.5 kilometers, and its surface has an exceptionally high albedo of 0.419 and 0.512, respectively, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 7.1 kilometers, based on an absolute magnitude of 13.1.
A large number of photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner at the U.S Palmer Divide Observatory in Colorado, were made to measure the asteroid's light-curve. One of the best results rendered a period of 7000247820000000000♠2.4782±0.0002 hours and a variation in brightness of 0.05 in magnitude (U=3). Other light-curve observations gave a similar period between 2.478 and 2.486 hours.
While there is strong evidence for an asteroid moon orbiting Roddy, its existence is still uncertain as of 2016. Based on one observation/solution, the satellite has an orbital period of 7001192399999999999♠19.24±0.02 hours and measures about 27% of Roddy's diameter, which is slightly less than 2 kilometers (Ds/Dp ratio of 6999270000000000000♠0.27±0.02). However, an alternative orbital period of 23.8 hours is also possible.
The minor planet was named in after David J. Roddy (1932–2002), an American astrogeologist and authority on terrestrial impact craters at the U.S. Geological Survey. He is noted for his mathematical models of impact events and his studies on Devonian impact craters, as well as for using explosives for his field experiments. Naming citation was published on 12 December 1989 (M.P.C. 15574).