317 Roxane

Lore & Background

317 Roxane was discovered by French astronomer Auguste Charlois from Nice on 11 September 1891. The naming was handled by F. Bidschof, an assistant at the Vienna Observatory, at Charlois' request; Bidschof chose to name it after Roxana, the wife of Alexander the Great, initially using the spelling 'Roxana'. The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.29 AU with a low eccentricity of 0.086 and an orbital period of 3.46 years. Its orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 3.46° relative to the ecliptic. Infrared measurements give a diameter of 18.6 km. It is classified as an E-type asteroid and has a rotation period of 8.169 hours.

In 2008, a team identified Roxane as the closest known spectroscopic match for the Peña Blanca Spring meteorite that landed in a swimming pool in Texas in 1946. This raises the possibility that 317 Roxane and that meteorite originated from the same parent object. In 2009, a team using the Gemini North adaptive optics telescope discovered a moon orbiting Roxane. The moon, named Olympias after the mother of Alexander the Great, measures 5 km in diameter and orbits 245 km from Roxane, completing one orbit every 13 days. Prior to its naming, the moon was provisionally designated S/2009 (317) 1.

Reader's Guide

317 Roxane holds significance as an E-type asteroid with a well-characterized orbit and physical properties. Its discovery by Auguste Charlois in 1891 adds to the catalog of early asteroid discoveries from Nice. The naming by F. Bidschof after Roxana, wife of Alexander the Great, reflects a tradition of mythological naming. The asteroid's most notable legacy is its spectroscopic match to the Peña Blanca Spring meteorite, which fell in Texas in 1946. This connection suggests a possible shared parent body, linking a meteorite fall to a specific asteroid. The discovery of a moon, Olympias, in 2009 using adaptive optics further enhances its scientific interest, as binary asteroids provide insights into formation and dynamics. The moon's name, after the mother of Alexander the Great, continues the historical theme. The asteroid's low eccentricity and inclination make it a typical main-belt object, while its E-type classification indicates a surface composition similar to enstatite achondrites. The orbital period of 3.46 years and rotation period of 8.169 hours are well-determined. Overall, 317 Roxane serves as a case study in asteroid-meteorite links and binary asteroid systems.