7958 Leakey
Hungaria binary asteroid named for the Leakey paleoanthropologists.
7958 Leakey, also known by its provisional designation 1994 LE3, is a small asteroid from the inner main belt, roughly 3 kilometers across. It belongs to the Hungaria group and is a synchronous binary system, meaning it has a moon that orbits in lockstep with its rotation. The asteroid was spotted on June 5, 1994, by the married team of American astronomers Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory in California. Its moon was identified in 2012. The asteroid honors the Leakey family—Mary, Louis, and Richard—all prominent paleoanthropologists.
Orbit and classification: Leakey sits within the Hungaria family, the densest cluster of asteroids closest to the Sun in the inner belt. It travels around the Sun at distances ranging from 1.7 to 2.0 AU, completing one orbit every 2 years and 7 months (939 days). Its orbit has a slight eccentricity of 0.08 and a high inclination of 22° relative to the ecliptic.
Physical characteristics: Leakey is thought to be an E-type asteroid, based on its assumed composition.
Lightcurves: Observations in 2012 and 2015 by astronomers Brian Warner, Robert Stephens, and Daniel Coley produced lightcurves that consistently showed a rotation period of 2.35 hours, with brightness changes between 0.19 and 0.22 magnitude. The data quality was rated high (U=3/3/3-).
Diameter and albedo: Data from NASA’s NEOWISE mission gives Leakey a diameter of 2.94 kilometers and a very reflective surface with an albedo of 0.468. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link, using a compromise albedo of 0.30 (midway between 0.4 and 0.2, typical for Hungarias), calculates a slightly larger diameter of 3.35 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 14.3.
Moon: The 2012 lightcurve observations revealed that Leakey is a synchronous binary asteroid, with a moon circling it every 50.24 hours. The moon is likely tidally locked, meaning its rotation matches its orbital period. From just two observations at the Palmer Divide Observatory, the size ratio of the system is roughly 0.3 ± 0.03, suggesting the satellite is about 1 kilometer in diameter.
Naming: The asteroid is named for the Leakey family—Mary (1913–1996), her husband Louis (1903–1972), and their son Richard (born 1944)—Kenyan paleoanthropologists who spent years working in Tanzania and Kenya. Their research firmly established that human evolution began in Africa, not Asia.
Quick Facts
- Minorplanet
- yes
- Background
- #D6D6D6
- Discovered
- 5 June 1994
- Discoverer
- C. S. Shoemaker / E. M. Shoemaker
- Discovery Site
- Palomar Obs.
- Mpc Name
- (7958) Leakey
- Named After
- Leakey family / (Mary, Louis, Richard)
- Mp Category
- main-beltHungaria
- Epoch
- 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
- Uncertainty
- 0
- Observation Arc
- 31.09 yr (11,355 days)
- Aphelion
- 2.0211 AU
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
7958 Leakey orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.7–2.0 AU once every 2 years and 7 months (939 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.08 and an inclination of 22° with respect to the ecliptic. It is a member of the Hungaria family, which form the innermost dense concentration of asteroids in the Solar System. Leakey is an assumed E-type asteroid. In 2012 and 2015, several lightcurves were obtained by astronomers Brian Warner, Robert Stephens and Daniel Coley, giving a well-defined rotation period of 2.35 hours with a brightness variation between 0.19 and 0.22 magnitude. The 2012-photometric lightcurve observation also revealed that Leakey is a synchronous binary asteroid with a minor-planet moon orbiting it every 50.24 hours. It is likely that the secondary body is tidally locked. Based on only two observations at the Palmer Divide Observatory, it is tentatively estimated that the size-ratio of the binary system is 0.3±0.03, which would give a 1-kilometer diameter for the satellite.
Reader's Guide
The significance of 7958 Leakey lies in its nature as a synchronous binary system within the Hungaria family, offering insights into the dynamics of small asteroid satellites. Its discovery by the renowned Shoemaker couple adds to the legacy of their contributions to asteroid studies. The naming honors the Leakey family of Kenyan paleoanthropologists—Mary, Louis, and Richard—who conclusively proved that human evolution began in Africa rather than Asia. Richard explored the Koobi Fora archaeological site in Kenya, where many Hominin fossils have been found. The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 11 April 1998. The asteroid's high albedo of 0.468 (from NEOWISE) and assumed E-type classification suggest a bright, possibly metallic surface. The binary nature, with a moon roughly one-third the size of the primary, makes it a target for further study of tidal locking and orbital evolution in small bodies.
Did You Know?
- 7958 Leakey is a synchronous binary asteroid with a moon that orbits every 50.24 hours.
- It was discovered on 5 June 1994 by Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory.
- The asteroid is named after the Leakey family, who proved human evolution began in Africa.
- Its rotation period is 2.35 hours, with a brightness variation of 0.19 to 0.22 magnitude.
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