2675 Tolkien

Orbit and classification

Tolkien is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the main-belt. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0 – once every 3 years and 3 months (1,202 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.10 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic.

Physical characteristics

In the SMASS classification, Tolkien is a stony S-type asteroid.

Rotation period

In February 2011, photometric observations of Tolkien were taken over the course of twenty-three nights. The obtained light curve revealed that the body is potentially an extremely slow rotator, that has an outstandingly long rotation period of hours, or 44 days, with a brightness amplitude of magnitude (). In addition, the body is suspected to be in a non-principal axis rotation ("tumbling").

Diameter and albedo

According to the surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, the body measures 9.65 and, and its surface has an albedo of 0.205 and 0.213, respectively, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora, the largest member and namesake of this orbital family – and calculates a diameter of 9.85 km with an absolute magnitude of 12.2.

Naming

This minor planet was named in honour of J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973), an English writer, philologist, and Merton professor of English language at the University of Oxford. He is best known as the author of the fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien also had a lifelong interest in astronomy. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 December 1982 (M.P.C. 7474).

References

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