2691 Sérsic
Stony binary asteroid from the inner main-belt.
2691 Sérsic (provisional designation 1974 KB) is a stony asteroid from the inner main belt, belonging to the Flora family. It is also a binary system, with a diameter of roughly 6 kilometers. The object was discovered on 18 May 1974 by staff of the Felix Aguilar Observatory at the El Leoncito Complex in Argentina. It was later named for Argentine astronomer José Luis Sérsic.
As a member of the Flora family—one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the main belt—Sérsic orbits the Sun at a distance between 2.0 and 2.5 AU. Its orbit takes about 3 years and 4 months (1,228 days) to complete, with an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 4° relative to the ecliptic.
The asteroid’s diameter is estimated at 6.21 kilometers, based on an assumed albedo of 0.24 (derived from 8 Flora, the family’s largest member) and an absolute magnitude of 13.2. This calculation comes from the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link.
In 2011, lightcurve observations revealed that Sérsic has a small moon. The satellite is about 2.15 ± 0.11 kilometers in diameter and orbits the primary once every 1 day, 2 hours, and 48 minutes.
The minor planet was named for José Luis Sérsic (1933–1993), known for his work in extragalactic astronomy and supernovae, and for serving as director of the Córdoba Observatory. The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 20 February 1989 (M.P.C. 14207).
Quick Facts
- Minorplanet
- yes
- Background
- #D6D6D6
- Discovered
- 18 May 1974
- Discoverer
- Felix Aguilar Obs.
- Discovery Site
- El Leoncito Complex
- Mpc Name
- (2691) Sérsic
- Named After
- José Sérsic / (Argentine astronomer)
- Mp Category
- main-beltFlora
- Epoch
- 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
- Uncertainty
- 0
- Observation Arc
- 67.02 yr (24,480 days)
- Aphelion
- 2.4977 AU
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
2691 Sérsic is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the main-belt. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,228 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora, the largest member and namesake of this orbital family – and calculates a diameter of 6.21 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.2. Sérsic is a binary asteroid; a minor-planet moon was discovered in 2011 from lightcurve observations of the asteroid. It has a diameter of 2.15 ± 0.11 and an orbital period of 1 day, 2 hours, and 48 minutes. The minor planet was named in honor of José Luis Sérsic (1933–1993), well known for his work in extragalactic astronomy and on supernovae. He has served as director of the Córdoba Observatory. The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 20 February 1989 (M.P.C. 14207).
Reader's Guide
2691 Sérsic is notable as a binary asteroid, meaning it has a small moon orbiting it. The moon was discovered in 2011 from lightcurve observations, with a diameter of 2.15 ± 0.11 kilometers and an orbital period of 1 day, 2 hours, and 48 minutes. The asteroid itself is a stony member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups in the main belt, and its diameter is calculated at 6.21 kilometers based on an assumed albedo of 0.24 derived from 8 Flora. Its orbit lies in the inner main-belt, with a period of 3 years and 4 months. The asteroid was discovered on 18 May 1974 by staff at the Felix Aguilar Observatory in Argentina. It was named for Argentine astronomer José Luis Sérsic, known for his work in extragalactic astronomy and supernovae, and who served as director of the Córdoba Observatory. The naming citation was published on 20 February 1989.
Did You Know?
- 2691 Sérsic is a binary asteroid with a moon discovered in 2011.
- It was discovered on 18 May 1974 at the Felix Aguilar Observatory in Argentina.
- The asteroid is named after Argentine astronomer José Luis Sérsic.
More in Notable Asteroids, Part 2 1-24
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