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2065 Spicer, provisional designation 1959 RN, is a dark and eccentric asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 17 kilometers in diameter.

The asteroid was discovered on 9 September 1959, by the Indiana Asteroid Program at Goethe Link Observatory near Brooklyn, Indiana, United States, and named after American anthropologist Edward H. Spicer.

Orbit and classification

Spicer orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.1–3.3 AU once every 4 years and 5 months (1,619 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.23 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.

Physical characteristics

Spicer's spectra is that of an X-type and Xc-type in SMASS classification scheme, which indicates a transitional stage to the carbonaceous C-type asteroid. It has also been characterized as a P-type asteroid by the NEOWISE mission.

Photometry

In January 2005, photometric measurements of Spicer made by American astronomer Brian Warner at the Palmer Divide Observatory (716) gave a lightcurve with a well-defined rotation period of 18.165±0.005 hours and a brightness variation of 1.0±0.03 magnitude (U=3).

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Spicer measures 16.721 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.062, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 18.43 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 12.4.

Naming

This minor planet was named after American anthropologist Edward H. Spicer (1906–1983), professor at the University of Arizona, and a former president of the American Anthropological Association.

In 1955, Spicer's negotiations with the local district and tribal councils were instrumental for receiving permission to evaluate the location where the Kitt Peak National Observatory was later built. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 26 May 1983 (M.P.C. 7944).

Notes

1. ^ Lightcurve plot of 2065 Spicer from the Palmer Divide Observatory, B. D. Warner (2005)

References

1. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2065 Spicer (1959 RN)" (2016-03-13 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
2. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(2065) Spicer". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2065) Spicer. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 167. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2066. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
3. ^ "LCDB Data for (2065) Spicer". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 7 December 2016.
4. ^ Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90.
5. ^ Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
6. ^ Warner, Brian D. (September 2005). "Asteroid lightcurve analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory - winter 2004-2005". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 32 (3): 54–58. Bibcode:2005MPBu...32...54W. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
7. Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
8. "2065 Spicer (1959 RN)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
9. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 December 2016.

• Minor planet object articles (numbered)
• Background asteroids
• Discoveries by Indiana University (Indiana Asteroid Program)
• Named minor planets
• Xc-type asteroids (SMASS)
• Astronomical objects discovered in 1959