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6708 Bobbievaile, provisional designation 1989 AA₅, is a stony background asteroid and asynchronous binary system from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 4 January 1989, by Australian astronomer Robert McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia. It is named after Bobbie Vaile.

Orbit and classification

Bobbievaile is a stony, non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 10 months (1,397 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 12° with respect to the ecliptic.

It was first observed as 1979 PF at El Leoncito in 1979, extending the body's observation arc by 10 years prior to its official discovery observation at Siding Spring.

Binary asteroid

On 7 May 2009, it was announced that Bobbievaile was determined to be a binary asteroid based on a series of lightcurve observations. Bobbievaile (the primary) is estimated to have a diameter of 8.02±0.02 km, and its minor-planet moon (the secondary) to have a diameter of approximately 4.57 km. The primary is probably spherical.

Naming

This minor planet was named in memory of Australian astrophysicist Roberta Anne "Bobbie" Vaile (1959–1996), lecturer at Western Sydney University. She was a SETI enthusiast and participated in both the establishment of the SETI Australia Centre and the conduction of Project Phoenix. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 22 April 1997 (M.P.C. 29671).

References

1. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 6708 Bobbievaile (1989 AA5)" (2017-06-06 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
2. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(6708) Bobbievaile". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (6708) Bobbievaile. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 551. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_6048. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
3. ^ "LCDB Data for (6708) Bobbievaile". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 13 March 2017.
4. ^ Johnston, Robert. "(6708) Bobbievaile". johnstonsarchive.net. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
5. ^ Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv:1406.6645. Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
6. ^ "6708 Bobbievaile (1989 AA5)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
7. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 March 2017.

External links

• Simostronomy—The Remarkable Bobbie Vaile
• (6708) Bobbievaile, datasheet, johnstonsarchive.net
• Asteroids with Satellites, Robert Johnston, johnstonsarchive.net
• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (5001)-(10000) – Minor Planet Center
• 6708 Bobbievaile at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 6708 Bobbievaile 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 Robert H. McNaught
• Named minor planets
• Binary asteroids
• Astronomical objects discovered in 1989