2754 Efimov

Lore & Background

2754 Efimov orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.7–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,214 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.23 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic. In the SMASS classification, Efimov is a Sa-type asteroid, which belongs to the larger group of S-type asteroids; it is also characterized as an L-type asteroid by the PanSTARRS photometric survey. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and derives a diameter of 4.98 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.92.

Efimov is a binary asteroid. In 2006, astronomers discovered a minor-planet moon around Efimov using lightcurve observations, with a diameter of 1.29 kilometers and an orbital period of 14 hours and 46 minutes. The asteroid was named in memory of Russian aviator Mikhail Nikiforovich Efimov (1881–1919), who was the first to realize steep turns and dives. The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 31 May 1988 (M.P.C. 13173).

Reader's Guide

2754 Efimov is significant as a binary asteroid system, a relatively rare configuration in the inner main-belt that provides insights into the formation and dynamics of asteroid pairs. Its discovery by Tamara Smirnova at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory adds to the legacy of Soviet-era asteroid surveys. The asteroid's stony composition (Sa-type, also classified as L-type) and its derived diameter of about 5 kilometers make it a typical inner-belt object, but its satellite—discovered in 2006 via lightcurve observations—elevates its scientific interest. The moon, with a diameter of 1.29 kilometers and an orbital period of 14 hours 46 minutes, allows researchers to study mutual orbits and estimate bulk densities. The naming honors Mikhail Efimov, a pioneer of Russian aviation known for steep turns and dives, linking the asteroid to early 20th-century aeronautical history. The naming citation was officially published on 31 May 1988, cementing its place in the minor planet catalog.

Did You Know?

• 2754 Efimov is a binary asteroid with a moon discovered in 2006.
• It was discovered on 13 August 1966 by Russian astronomer Tamara Smirnova.
• The asteroid's moon has a diameter of 1.29 kilometers and orbits every 14 hours 46 minutes.
• It is named after Russian aviator Mikhail Efimov, who pioneered steep turns and dives.