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49777 Cappi (provisional designation 1999 XS) is a stony background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 2 kilometers in diameter.

The asteroid was discovered on 2 December 1999, by Italian–American astronomer Paul Comba at the Prescott Observatory in Arizona, United States. It was named after the discoverer's wife, Margaret Capitola Sonntag Comba.

Orbit and classification

Cappi is a non-family from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 2.2–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 7 months (1,321 days; semi-major axis of 2.36 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.07 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.

The asteroid's observation arc begins 8 years prior to its official discovery observation, with a precovery taken by the Steward Observatory's Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak in September 1991.

Physical characteristics

Cappi is an assumed stony S-type asteroid.

Rotation and shape

In September 2013, a rotational lightcurve of Cappi was obtained from photometric observation taken in the R-band at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. It showed a rotation period of 5.9389 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.78 magnitude (U=2), indicating a non-spheroidal shape.

Diameter and albedo estimate

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 1.85 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 16.02.

Naming

This minor planet was named after Margaret Capitola Sonntag Comba (born 1940), a psychologist and art therapist by profession, faculty member at Prescott College, and wife of the discoverer. The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 4 May 2004 (M.P.C. 51981).

References

1. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 49777 Cappi (1999 XS)" (2016-08-27 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
2. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). "(49777) Cappi [2.36, 0.07, 4.5]". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (49777) Cappi, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 215. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-34361-5_2544. ISBN 978-3-540-34360-8.
3. ^ "LCDB Data for (49777) Cappi". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 28 April 2016.
4. ^ "Asteroid 49777 Cappi – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
5. ^ Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
6. 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 28 April 2016.
7. ^ "49777 Cappi (1999 XS)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
8. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 28 April 2016.

External links

• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
• Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (45001)-(50000) – Minor Planet Center
• 49777 Cappi at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 49777 Cappi at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters

• Minor planet object articles (numbered)
• Background asteroids
• Discoveries by Paul G. Comba
• Named minor planets
• Astronomical objects discovered in 1999