Everything about 21 Lutetia totally explained
21 Lutetia () is a large
Main belt asteroid of the
M spectral type, about 100
kilometers in
diameter. It will be the subject of a flyby by the
Rosetta space probe in 2010.
The name Lutetia derives from the
Latin name for
Paris.
Characteristics
The composition of Lutetia has puzzled astronomers for some time, and its investigation has picked up in recent years in anticipation of the upcoming
Rosetta flyby. While classified as the M spectral type, it's one of the anomalous members which don't display much evidence of metal on their surface. In fact, there are various indications of a non-metallic surface: A flat low frequency spectrum similar to that of
carbonaceous chondrites and
C-type asteroids and not at all like that of
metallic meteorites, a low radar albedo whereas strongly metallic asteroids like for example
16 Psyche have a high one, abundant silicates and a thicker
regolith than most asteroids .
Lightcurve analysis indicates that Lutetia's pole points towards either
ecliptic coordinates (β, λ) = (3°, 40°) or (β, λ) = (3°, 220°) with a 10° uncertainty . This gives an
axial tilt of 85°, or 89°, respectively, meaning that Lutetia spins at an approximately
right angle to the
ecliptic like for example
Uranus.
Exploration
Lutetia was discovered on
November 15,
1852 by
Hermann Mayer Salomon Goldschmidt from the balcony of his apartment in
Paris.
On
July 10,
2010, the
European Rosetta comet probe will pass the asteroid with a minimum distance of 3000 km and a velocity of 15 kilometres per second on its way to
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. In the run-up to this event the attention of astronomers has been drawn to Lutetia.
The flyby will be important for the understanding of the asteroids, since Lutetia will be the first
M-type asteroid to be visited by a
spacecraft.
There have been two reported
stellar occultations by Lutetia: from
Malta (1997) and
Australia (2003), with only one chord each, roughly agreeing with
IRAS measurements.
Further Information
Get more info on '21 Lutetia'.
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