- 5335 Damocles
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5335 Damocles DiscoveryDiscovered by Robert H. McNaught Discovery date February 18, 1991 DesignationsNamed after Damocles Alternate name(s) 1991 DA Minor planet
categoryDamocloid Epoch January 1, 2006 (JD 2453736.5 ) Aphelion 22.10 AU Perihelion 1.58 AU Semi-major axis 11.84 AU Eccentricity 0.87 Orbital period 14880.90 d, 40.74 a Average orbital speed 6.67 km/s Mean anomaly 133.07° Inclination 61.95 ° Longitude of ascending node .02° Argument of perihelion 191.25° Physical characteristicsDimensions ~ 10 km Rotation period 10.2 h Spectral type S Absolute magnitude (H) 13.3 5335 Damocles (pronounced /ˈdæməkliːz/ dam-ə-kleez) is the archetype of the Damocloids, asteroids that are inactive nuclei of the Halley Family and long-period comets. It was discovered in 1991 and named after Damocles, a figure of Greek mythology.
When Damocles was discovered, in 1991 by Robert H. McNaught, it was found to be on an orbit completely different from all others known. Damocles' orbit reached from inside the aphelion of Mars to as far as Uranus. It seemed to be in transition from a near-circular outer Solar System orbit to an eccentric orbit taking it to the inner Solar System.[1] Duncan Steel, Gerhard Hahn, Mark Bailey, and David Asher carried out projections of its long-term dynamical evolution, and found a good probability that it will become an Earth-crosser asteroid, and may spend a quarter of its life in such an orbit. Damocles has a stable orbit for tens of thousands of years before and after the present, because its highly inclined orbit does not take it near Jupiter or Saturn.
There is some speculation that 5335 Damocles may have a meteor shower associated with it on Mars from the direction of Draco.[2]
The adjectival form is Damoclean, /dæməˈkliːən/.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Steel, D. "Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets", page 127-8. Wiley & Sons, 1995
- ^ Meteor Showers and Their Parent Bodies
- ^ OED
External links
- AstDys
- NASA JPL Small-Body Database Browser on 5335 Damocles
- for JPL Horizons telnet version is most comprehensive
Minor planets navigator Small Solar System bodies Minor planets - Designation
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Comets Meteoroids Lists / categories - Asteroid groups and families
- Asteroid moons
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- Minor planets
Categories:- Damocloid asteroids
- S-type asteroids
- Asteroids named from Greek mythology
- Discoveries by Robert H. McNaught
- Astronomical objects discovered in 1991
- Asteroid stubs
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