88 Thisbe

88 Thisbe
Discovery
Discovered byChristian Heinrich Friedrich Peters
Discovery date15 June 1866
Designations
(88) Thisbe
Pronunciation/ˈθɪzb/
Named after
Thisbē
Main belt
AdjectivesThisbean /θɪzˈbən/, /ˈθɪzbiən/
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 31 December 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion482.242 Gm (3.224 AU)
Perihelion345.809 Gm (2.312 AU)
414.025 Gm (2.768 AU)
Eccentricity0.165
1,681.709 d (4.60 yr)
165.454°
Inclination5.219°
276.765°
36.591°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions(255×232×193)±12 km
218±3 km
225 km
232 km (Dunham)
Flattening0.19
Mass(11.6±2.2)×1018 kg
18.3×1018 kg
1.5×1019 kg
Mean density
2.14±0.42 g/cm3
3.06±0.52 g/cm3
6.04 h
0.057
0.067
B
7.04

    88 Thisbe is the 13th largest main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on 15 June 1866, and named after Thisbe, heroine of a Roman fable. This asteroid is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.768 AU with a period of 4.60 years and an orbital eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.165. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 5.219° to the ecliptic.

    On 7 October 1981, asteroid 88 Thisbe was observed to occult the 9th-magnitude star SAO 187124 from 12 sites. The timing of the different chords across the asteroid provided a diameter estimate of 232±12 km. This is 10% larger than the diameter estimate based on radiometric techniques. During 2000, 88 Thisbe was observed by radar from the Arecibo Observatory. The return signal matched an effective diameter of 207 ± 22 km. This is consistent with the asteroid dimensions computed through other means.

    Photometric observations of this asteroid during 1977 gave a light curve with a period of 6.0422 ± 0.006 hours and a brightness variation of 0.19 in magnitude.