.png) A three-dimensional model of 94 Aurora based on its light curve. | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | James Craig Watson |
| Discovery date | 6 September 1867 |
| Designations | |
| (94) Aurora | |
| Pronunciation | /əˈrɔːrə, ɒ-/[1] |
Named after | Aurōra |
| Main belt | |
| Adjectives | Aurorean /ɔːˈrɔːriən/[2] |
| Orbital characteristics[3] | |
| Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 143.72 yr (52494 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.45175 AU (516.374 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 2.86831 AU (429.093 Gm) |
| 3.16003 AU (472.734 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.092315 |
| 5.62 yr (2051.8 d) | |
Average orbital speed | 16.73 km/s |
| 132.718° | |
| 0° 10m 31.638s / day | |
| Inclination | 7.97343° |
| 2.59859° | |
| 60.8260° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 204.89±3.6 km (IRAS)[3] 225×173 km[4] |
| Mass | (6.23 ± 3.64) × 1018 kg[5] |
Mean density | 1.83 ± 1.10[5] g/cm3 |
Equatorial surface gravity | 0.0573 m/s² |
Equatorial escape velocity | 0.1083 km/s |
| 7.22 h (0.301 d)[3] | |
| 0.0395±0.001[3] 0.0395[6] | |
| Temperature | ~157 K |
| C[3] | |
| 7.57[3] | |
Aurora (minor planet designation: 94 Aurora) is one of the largest main-belt asteroids. With an albedo of only 0.04, it is darker than soot, and has a primitive composition consisting of carbonaceous material. It was discovered by J. C. Watson on September 6, 1867, in Ann Arbor, and named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn.
This asteroid is orbiting the Sun with a period of 5.62 years and a relatively low eccentricity of 0.092. It is spinning with a rotation period of 7.22 hours. Observations of an occultation using nine chords indicate an oval outline of 225×173 km.[4] The asteroid's pole of rotation lies just 4–16° away from the plane of the ecliptic.[7]
