15268 Wendelinefroger
Stony binary asteroid with a moon discovered in 2008.
15268 Wendelinefroger, originally designated 1990 WF3, is a stony asteroid from the inner main belt. Roughly spheroidal and about 3.4 kilometers across, it is also a binary system. Belgian astronomer Eric Elst discovered it on 18 November 1990 at the La Silla Observatory in Chile.
The asteroid is named for Wendeline Froger (born 1948), a Belgian soprano who performs at church events, weddings, and private audiences. She favors the Lieder of Robert Schumann, after whom 4003 Schumann is named. The naming citation was published on 12 December 2008.
Wendelinefroger orbits the Sun at 1.8–2.9 AU, completing one revolution every 3 years and 8 months. Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.23 and an inclination of 3°. The first observation was made in 1979 as 1979 WA7, extending the observation arc by 11 years before its official discovery.
Photometric observations in October 2008 at Leura Observatory, Australia, revealed a rotation period of 2.422 hours with a low brightness variation of 0.07 magnitude, indicating a nearly spheroidal shape. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo of 0.20 for stony asteroids, yielding a diameter of 3.4 km from an absolute magnitude of 14.7.
Those same 2008 observations discovered a minor-planet moon orbiting Wendelinefroger every 25.07 hours at a distance of 8.7 km. Mutual occultations gave a secondary-to-primary diameter ratio of at least 0.24, implying the moon is at least 0.8 km across.
Quick Facts
- Minorplanet
- yes
- Background
- #D6D6D6
- Discovered
- 18 November 1990
- Discoverer
- E. W. Elst
- Discovery Site
- La Silla Obs.
- Mpc Name
- (15268) Wendelinefroger
- Named After
- Wendeline Froger / (Belgian singer)
- Mp Category
- main-belt(inner) / Nysa–Polana complex
- Epoch
- 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
- Uncertainty
- 0
- Observation Arc
- 37.29 yr (13,619 days)
- Aphelion
- 2.9209 AU
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The asteroid was named after Belgian singer Wendeline Froger (born 1948), a soprano who performs at church celebrations, weddings, and for selected audiences at her residence, with a preference for Lieder by Robert Schumann. The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 12 December 2008. It orbits the Sun in the inner main belt at a distance of 1.8–2.9 AU, with an eccentricity of 0.23 and an inclination of 3°. It was first identified as 1979 WA7 at Crimea–Nauchnij in 1979, extending the observation arc by 11 years prior to discovery. In October 2008, photometric observations at Leura Observatory, Australia, gave a rotation period of 2.422 hours with a low brightness variation of 0.07 magnitude, indicating a nearly spheroidal shape. During those observations, a minor-planet moon was discovered orbiting every 25.07±0.02 hours at a distance of 8.7 kilometers. Mutual occultations gave a secondary-to-primary diameter ratio of at least 0.24, implying the moon is at least 0.8 kilometer in diameter.
Reader's Guide
15268 Wendelinefroger is significant as a binary asteroid, with its moon discovered during photometric observations in 2008 at Leura Observatory. The asteroid's nearly spheroidal shape and low brightness variation suggest a relatively uniform body. Its naming honors Belgian singer Wendeline Froger, linking the asteroid to cultural heritage. The discovery of its moon adds to the understanding of binary systems in the inner asteroid belt. The asteroid's orbit, with an eccentricity of 0.23 and inclination of 3°, places it among typical inner main-belt objects. The observation arc was extended by 11 years through a precovery identification in 1979. The moon's orbital period and distance provide data for studying mutual dynamics. The diameter ratio derived from occultations helps constrain the moon's size. The asteroid's stony composition and assumed albedo of 0.20 are standard for S-type asteroids. The naming citation was officially published in December 2008, cementing its cultural connection.
Did You Know?
- 15268 Wendelinefroger is a binary asteroid with a moon at least 0.8 km in diameter.
- It was discovered by Belgian astronomer Eric Elst at La Silla Observatory in Chile.
- The asteroid is named after Belgian soprano singer Wendeline Froger.
- Its rotation period is 2.422 hours with a very low brightness variation of 0.07 magnitude.
More in Notable Asteroids, Part 3 1-24
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