Discovered by F. Börngen MPC designation 4003 Schumann Discovered 8 March 1964 Orbits Sun Asteroid group Asteroid belt | Discovery date 8 March 1964 Minor planet category main-belt · (outer) Absolute magnitude 10.8 | |
Alternative names 1964 ED · 1933 FG11967 RK1 · 1968 UL31974 SE2 · 1978 GM41980 RH2 · 1980 TP61981 WV8 People also search for 4002 Shinagawa, 4006 Sandler | ||
4003 Schumann, provisional designation 1964 ED, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, about 35 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomer Freimut Börngen at the Karl Schwarzschild Observatory in Tautenburg, Eastern Germany, on 8 March 1964.
The dark C-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 3.1–3.7 AU once every 6 years and 4 months (2,316 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.09 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic. The first precovery was obtained at Heidelberg Observatory in 1933, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 31 years prior to its discovery.
According to the space-based surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its NEOWISE mission, the asteroid's surface has an albedo of 0.04 and 0.07, and an estimated diameter of 35.0 and 38.2 kilometers, respectively. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous bodies of 0.057, and calculates a diameter of 32.0 kilometers.
Several photometric light-curve analysis rendered a rotation period between 5.60 and 5.75 hours with a brightness amplitude in the range of 0.20 to 0.23 in magnitude (U=3-/2+/2).
The minor planet was named in honor of German composer of the Romantic era, Robert Schumann (1810–1856), known for his Lieder, chamber works and cello concerti. He was born in Zwickau, in proximity to the discovering observatory in Tautenburg. Naming citation was published on 20 May 1989 (M.P.C. 14634).