212 Medea

Infobox Planet | discovery=yes | physical_characteristics = yes | bgcolour=#FFFFC0 | name=212 Medea
discoverer=Johann Palisa
discovered=February 6, 1880
alt_names=1930 FW
mp_category=Main belt
epoch=30 January, 2005 (JD 2453400.5)
semimajor=465.677 Gm (3.113 AU)
perihelion=413.154 Gm (2.762 AU)
aphelion=518.201 Gm (3.464 AU)
eccentricity=0.113
period=2005.994 d (5.49 a)
inclination=4.265°
asc_node=313.697°
arg_peri=99.624°
mean_anomaly=356.798°
avg_speed=16.88 km/s
dimensions=136.0 km
mass="unknown"
density="unknown"
surface_grav="unknown"
escape_velocity="unknown"
rotation=10.12 h
spectral_type=DCX:
abs_magnitude=8.28
albedo=0.047
single_temperature="unknown"

212 Medea is a very large Main belt asteroid. [ [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi#top JPL Small-Body Database Browser ] ] It is rather dark in colour.Fact|date=March 2008

It was discovered by Johann Palisa on February 6, 1880 in Pola and was named after Medea, a figure in Greek mythology. [ Schmadel Lutz D. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (fifth edition), Springer, 2003. ISBN-10: 3540002383.]

Lightcurve data has also been recorded by observers at the Antelope Hill Observatory, which has been designated as an official observatory by the Minor Planet Center. [ [http://www.antelopehillsobservatory.org/index_files/Page334.htm Lightcurve Results ] ]

References

* [ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html The Asteroid Orbital Elements Database]
* [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/lists/NumberedMPs.html Minor Planet Discovery Circumstances]
* [http://spiff.rit.edu/richmond/parallax/phot/LCSUMPUB.TXT Asteroid Lightcurve Data File]