Discovered by M. Wolf and A. Kopff MPC designation 692 Hippodamia Discovered 5 November 1901 Spectral type S-type asteroid Discoverers Max Wolf, August Kopff | Discovery date 5 November 1901 Alternative names 1901 HD · 1941 HK Orbits Sun Asteroid group Cybele asteroid | |
Named after Hippodamia
(Greek mythology) Minor planet category main-belt (outer) · Cybele family Discovery site Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory Similar 528 Rezia, 509 Iolanda, 540 Rosamunde, 417 Suevia, 889 Erynia | ||
692 Hippodamia, provisional designation 1901 HD, is a stony asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, about 45 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 November 1901, by the German astronomers Max Wolf and August Kopff at Heidelberg Observatory in southern Germany. Nine years later, the body was rediscovered by August Kopff at its apparition in 1910.
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.8–4.0 AU once every 6 years and 3 months (2,272 days). Its orbit is tilted by 26 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic and shows an eccentricity of 0.17. Based on its orbital elements, it is a member of the Cybele family. Named after the 65 Cybele, the group consists of relatively low-eccentric asteroids, which have a semi-major axis around 3.4 AU, dwelling in-between the Hungaria and the outermost Hilda family of asteroids.
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite, IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, the body has an albedo between 0.18 and 0.20, and several independent and concurring photometric light-curve analysis rendered a well-defined rotation period of 8.99 hours.
The minor planet was named after Hippodamia, a figure from Greek mythology. It is conjectured, that the naming might be influenced by the two letters of the provisional designation "1901 HD". Hippodamia is the daughter of King Oenomaus of Pisa and wife of Pelops. She bribed Myrtilus, her father's charioteer, to remove a spoke from the royal chariot wheels so that Pelops could win her. Oenomaus had already defeated and killed 13 other suitors whom he had challenged to chariot races. After killing Oenomaus, Pelops murdered Myrtilus. These murders were primal sins, all paid for later by the many troubles of the house of Atreus.