13006 Schwaar

Orbit and classification

Schwaar is a member of the Phocaea family (701), a rather small group of asteroids with similar orbital characteristics, named after its largest member, 25 Phocaea. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.8–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,252 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.20 and an inclination of 29° with respect to the ecliptic. No precoveries were taken. The asteroid's observation arc begins 20 days after its discovery.

Physical characteristics

Schwaar has been characterized as a S-type asteroid by Pan-STARRS photometric survey.

Lightcurves

A rotational lightcurve of Schwaar was obtained from photometric observations made at the Hunters Hill Observatory (E14), Australia, and collaborating stations in December 2006. The lightcurve gave a rotation period of hours with a brightness variation of 0.17 in magnitude ().

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Schwaar measures 5.3 and 5.9 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.182 and 0.185, respectively, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for members of the Phocaea family of 0.23, and calculates a diameter of 5.0 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.7.

Naming

This minor planet was named in memory amateur astronomer Pierre–Yves Schwaar (1946–2000), member of the Saguaro Astronomy Club (SAC), telescope maker, and photographer of the night sky. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 9 January 2001 (M.P.C. 41939). The native Swiss amateur astronomer and immigrant to the U.S. was also an inventor and master craftsman, a model rocketeer, an USAF aircraft mechanic, a Vietnam veteran, and an eclipse chaser.

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