201 Penelope

201 Penelope
	A three-dimensional model of 201 Penelope based on its light curve.
Discovery
Discovered by	Johann Palisa
Discovery date	7 August 1879
Designations
MPC designation	(201) Penelope
Pronunciation	/pɪˈnɛləpiː/
Named after	Penelópē
Alternative designations	A879 PA; 1869 GA
Minor planet category	Main belt
Adjectives	Penelopean /pɪˈnɛloʊˈpiːən/
Orbital characteristics
	Epoch 21 January 2022 (JD 2457600.5)
	Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	142.58 yr (52,077 d)
Aphelion	3.160 AU (472.710 Gm)
Perihelion	2.199 AU (329.009 Gm)
Semi-major axis	2.680 AU (400.859 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.17924
Orbital period (sidereal)	4.39 yr (1,602.14 d)
Average orbital speed	18.19 km/s
Mean anomaly	169.01173°
Mean motion	0° 13m 28.917s / day
Inclination	5.75625°
Longitude of ascending node	156.91554°
Argument of perihelion	180.90559°
Jupiter MOID	2.23013 AU (333.623 Gm)
TJupiter	3.347
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	68.39±3.5 km; 87.72 km
Synodic rotation period	3.7474 h (0.15614 d)
Geometric albedo	0.1604±0.018; 0.0881±0.0187
Spectral type	Tholen = M; SMASS = X; B–V = 0.720; U–B = 0.233;
Absolute magnitude (H)	8.38; 8.43; 8.5; 8.54;

Penelope (minor planet designation: 201 Penelope) is a large main belt asteroid that was discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa on August 7, 1879, in Pola. The asteroid is named after Penelope, the wife of Odysseus in Homer's The Odyssey. It is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.68 AU with an eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.18 and a period of 4.381 years. The orbital plane is tilted at an angle of 5.8° to the plane of the ecliptic.^[2]

Based upon the spectra of this object, it is classified as a M-type asteroid, indicating it may be metallic in composition.^[5] It may be the remnant of the core of a larger, differentiated asteroid. Near infrared absorption features indicate the presence of variable amounts of low-iron, low-calcium orthopyroxenes on the surface. Trace amounts of water is detected with a mass fraction of about 0.13–0.15 wt%.^[6] It has an estimated size of around 88 km.^[5] With a rotation period of 3.74 hours, it is the fastest rotating asteroid larger than 50 km in diameter.^[2]

^ ^a ^b "Penelope". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Cite error: The named reference SBDB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Cite error: The named reference JPL2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Cite error: The named reference MPC2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Cite error: The named reference Pravec2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Hardersen1983 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[OED-1] "Penelope". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

[SBDB-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Cite error: The named reference SBDB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[JPL2022-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Cite error: The named reference JPL2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[MPC2022-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Cite error: The named reference MPC2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Pravec2012-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Cite error: The named reference Pravec2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Hardersen1983-6] Cite error: The named reference Hardersen1983 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]