10208 Germanicus
A stony binary asteroid from the inner main belt.
10208 Germanicus, first designated 1997 QN1, is a rocky asteroid belonging to the Flora family and forms a binary system in the inner main belt. It measures roughly 3.5 kilometers across. Italian amateur astronomer Antonio Vagnozzi spotted it on 30 August 1997 at the Santa Lucia Stroncone Astronomical Observatory in Stroncone, Italy. The asteroid was later named after the ancient Roman general Germanicus. Its small moon was identified in 2007.
Germanicus is part of the Flora group, a large family of stony asteroids. It travels around the Sun at a distance ranging from 1.8 to 2.7 AU, completing an orbit every 3 years and 4 months (1,221 days). Its path has an eccentricity of 0.20 and an inclination of 5° relative to the ecliptic. The first recorded observations came from Crimea–Nauchnij and Brorfelde Observatory in August 1987, extending the known observation arc by a decade before its official discovery.
Measurements from NASA's WISE and NEOWISE surveys give Germanicus a diameter between 2.87 and 3.552 kilometers, with surface albedos of 0.36 and 0.267. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link, using revised WISE data by Petr Pravec, adopts an albedo of 0.1747 and a diameter of 3.50 kilometers, with an absolute magnitude of 14.79.
In August 2007, an international team obtained a rotational lightcurve from photometric observations. It revealed a rotation period of 3.1291 hours and a brightness variation of 0.13 magnitude. The data also showed that Germanicus has a moon orbiting it every 58.55 hours. The secondary body's diameter is about 0.46 times that of the primary, translating to roughly 1.48 kilometers if the primary is 3.23 kilometers across.
The asteroid was named for Germanicus (15 BC – AD 19), a Roman general and poet who led successful campaigns in Germania. He was also the nephew and designated heir of Emperor Tiberius. As a poet, he wrote "Aratea," an astronomical treatise; an illustrated copy survives as the Leiden Aratea. The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 27 May 2010 (M.P.C. 70407).
Quick Facts
- Minorplanet
- yes
- Background
- #D6D6D6
- Discovered
- 30 August 1997
- Discoverer
- A. Vagnozzi
- Discovery Site
- Santa Lucia Obs.
- Mpc Name
- (10208) Germanicus
- Pronounced
- dʒ · ər · ˈ · m · æ · n · ᵻ · k · ə · s
- Named After
- Germanicus / (Ancient Roman general)
- Mp Category
- main-beltFlora
- Epoch
- 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
- Uncertainty
- 0
- Observation Arc
- 28.69 yr (10,478 days)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Germanicus is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest families of stony asteroids. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.8–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,221 days), with an eccentricity of 0.20 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic. It was first observed at Crimea–Nauchnij and Brorfelde Observatory in August 1987, extending the body's observation arc by 10 years prior to its official discovery observation at Stroncone.
According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Germanicus measures 2.87 and 3.552 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.36 and 0.267, respectively. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link adopts Petr Pravec's revised WISE-data, that is, an albedo of 0.1747 and a diameter of 3.50 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 14.79.
In August 2007, a rotational lightcurve of Germanicus was obtained from photometric observations by an international group of astronomers. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 3.1291 hours with a brightness variation of 0.13 magnitude (U=n.a.). It was also revealed that Germanicus is orbited by a minor-planet moon every 58.55 hours. The system has a high secondary-to-primary mean-diameter ratio of 0.46, translating into a satellite diameter of 1.48 kilometers (based on a primary-diameter of 3.23 kilometers).
Reader's Guide
The significance of 10208 Germanicus lies in its binary nature and its membership in the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the inner main belt. The discovery of its minor-planet moon in 2007, revealed through photometric observations, makes it part of a relatively rare class of binary asteroids, providing insights into the formation and dynamics of such systems. The high secondary-to-primary diameter ratio of 0.46 indicates a relatively large satellite compared to its primary, a notable characteristic for binary asteroids. The asteroid's naming after the Roman general and poet Germanicus connects it to historical and astronomical heritage, as Germanicus wrote the astronomical treatise 'Aratea,' an illustrated copy of which is known as the Leiden Aratea. The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 27 May 2010. The multiple diameter and albedo measurements from NEOWISE and revised WISE data highlight the ongoing refinement of physical parameters for small solar system bodies.
Did You Know?
- 10208 Germanicus is a binary system with a satellite that orbits every 58.55 hours.
- It was discovered by Italian amateur astronomer Antonio Vagnozzi on 30 August 1997.
- The asteroid is named after Roman general and poet Germanicus, who wrote the astronomical treatise 'Aratea'.
More in Notable Asteroids, Part 3 1-24
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