Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | P. Wild |
Discovery site | Zimmerwald Obs. |
Discovery date | 5 March 1973 |
Designations | |
MPC designation | (2001) Einstein |
Named after
|
Albert Einstein (physicist) |
1973 EB | |
main-belt · Hungaria | |
Orbital characteristics | |
Epoch 16 February 2017 (JD 2457800.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 43.43 yr (15,864 days) |
Aphelion | 2.1240 AU |
Perihelion | 1.7427 AU |
1.9334 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.0986 |
2.69 yr (982 days) | |
77.345° | |
0° 21m 59.76s / day | |
Inclination | 22.684° |
357.08° | |
217.67° | |
Earth MOID | 0.7670 AU |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions |
±0.154 km 3.975 5.66 km (calculated) |
±0.0001 5.4846h ±0.002 h 5.485 03±0.00005 h (S) 5.485 ±0.001 h 5.487 |
|
0.40 (assumed) ±0.169 0.810 |
|
B–V = 0.720 U–B = 0.261 X (Tholen), Xe (SMASS) X · E |
|
12.85 | |
2001 Einstein, provisional designation 1973 EB, is a bright Hungaria asteroid from the innermost region of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Swiss astronomer Paul Wild at Zimmerwald Observatory near Bern, Switzerland, on 5 March 1973. It is named after physicist Albert Einstein.
The X-type asteroid, classified as a Xe-subtype on the SMASS taxonomic scheme, 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 1.7–2.1 AU once every 2 years and 8 months (982 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.10 and an inclination of 23° with respect to the ecliptic. As no precoveries were taken, the asteroid's observation arc begins with its discovery in 1973.
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), the asteroid measures 4.0 km in diameter and its surface has an exceptionally high albedo of 0.81, for which WISE assigns an E-type. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a lower, yet still high albedo of 0.40 and hence calculates a larger diameter of 5.7 kilometers, as the lower the albedo, the larger the body's diameter for a constant absolute magnitude.