Discovered by R. Tucker MPC designation 39741 Komm Minor planet category Mars crosser Absolute magnitude 15.7 Discoverer Roy A. Tucker | Discovery date 9 January 1997 Alternative names 1997 AT6 · 1999 LM28 Discovered 9 January 1997 Orbits Sun Asteroid group Mars-crosser asteroid | |
Named after Rudolf Komm
(helioseismologist) Discovery site Goodricke-Pigott Observatory People also search for 99942 Apophis, Sun, 17025 Pilachowski | ||
39741 Komm, provisional designation 1997 AT6, is a stony asteroid and eccentric Mars-crosser from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 2 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 9 January 1997, by American astronomer Roy Tucker at Goodricke-Pigott Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, United States.
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.4–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 3 months (1,177 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.35 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic. As no precoveries were taken, the asteroid's observation arc begins with its discovery observation.
In October 2009, the first and so far only rotational light-curve for Komm was obtained by French amateur astronomer René Roy. It gave a well-defined rotation period of 7000595000000000000♠5.95±0.01 hours with a high brightness variation of 0.83 magnitude, indicative of a non-spheroidal shape (U=3).
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 2.15 kilometers, based on an absolute magnitude of 15.7.
The minor planet was named after Rudolf Komm (b. 1957), an American helioseismologist, who contributed in the study of solar activity. Naming citation was published on 6 August 2003 (M.P.C. 49283).