In this article, we will explore in depth the topic of 93 Minerva and its impact on our contemporary society. From its origins to its relevance today, we will analyze how 93 Minerva has shaped our lives and influenced various aspects of our daily lives. Through a multidisciplinary approach, we will examine different perspectives and relevant studies that will allow us to comprehensively understand the importance of 93 Minerva in our modern world. Likewise, we will examine possible future scenarios and their potential evolution, with the purpose of offering a complete and updated vision of this topic of global relevance.
![]() A three-dimensional model of 93 Minerva based on its light curve. | |
Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | James Craig Watson |
Discovery site | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
Discovery date | 24 August 1867 |
Designations | |
(93) Minerva | |
Pronunciation | /mɪˈnɜːrvə/[1] |
Named after | Minerva |
1949 QN2, A902 DA | |
Main belt | |
Adjectives | Minervian, Minervean /mɪˈnɜːrviən/ |
Orbital characteristics[2] | |
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 146.14 yr (53379 d) |
Aphelion | 3.1429 AU (470.17 Gm) |
Perihelion | 2.3711 AU (354.71 Gm) |
2.7570 AU (412.44 Gm) | |
Eccentricity | 0.13998 |
4.58 yr (1672.0 d) | |
Average orbital speed | ~17.86 km/s |
262.022° | |
0° 12m 55.116s / day | |
Inclination | 8.56143° |
4.06265° | |
274.543° | |
Physical characteristics | |
154.155±1.298 km (IRAS)[2] 156 km[3] | |
Mass | 3.8×1018 kg (calculated)[a] |
Mean density | 1.9 g/cm3[3] |
Equatorial surface gravity | 4.139 cm/s2 (0.004221 g)[4] |
Equatorial escape velocity | 81 m/s[4] |
5.982 h (0.2493 d)[2] | |
0.056±0.008[2] | |
C[2] G?[3] | |
7.91[2] | |
93 Minerva is a large triple main-belt asteroid. It is a C-type asteroid, meaning that it has a dark surface and possibly a primitive carbonaceous composition. It was discovered by J. C. Watson on 24 August 1867, and named after Minerva, the Roman equivalent of Athena, goddess of wisdom. An occultation of a star by Minerva was observed in France, Spain and the United States on 22 November 1982. An occultation diameter of ~170 km was measured from the observations. Since then two more occultations have been observed, which give an estimated mean diameter of ~150 km.[5][6]
On 16 August 2009, at 13:36 UT, the Keck Observatory's adaptive optics system revealed that the asteroid 93 Minerva possesses 2 small moons.[7] They are 4 and 3 km in diameter and the projected separations from Minerva correspond to 630 km (8.8 x Rprimary) and 380 km (5.2 x Rprimary) respectively.[7] They have been named Aegis[8] (/ˈiːdʒɪs/)[9] and Gorgoneion[8] (/ˌɡɔːrɡəˈnaɪən/).[10]