3288 Seleucus

Orbit

Seleucus orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 1.1–3.0 AU once every 2 years and 11 months (1,059 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.46 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic. Seleucus has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.1029 AU, which corresponds to 40.1 lunar distances. As no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made, the body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at La Silla.

Physical parameters

Spectral type

On the Tholen and SMASS taxonomic scheme, Seleucus is classified as a featureless S-type and rare K-type asteroid, respectively.

Rotation period

It has a relatively long rotation period of 75 hours with a brightness variation of 1.0 magnitude, indicative of a non-spheroidal shape (). While most minor planets have spin rate between 2 and 20 hours, Seleucus still rotates faster than a typical slow rotator, which have periods above 100 hours.

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Seleucus measures 2.49 and 2.83 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.139 and 0.24, respectively. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link adopts an albedo of 0.23 and a diameter of 2.2 kilometers, based on modeled data by Alan Harris.

Naming

This minor planet is named for Seleucus I Nicator, a general in the army of Alexander the Great, and, after the death of Alexander, founder and king of the Seleucid Empire. The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 29 September 1985 (M.P.C. 10046).

References