* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Asteroid (52) Europa

Blobrana · L

Asteroid (52) Europa is at Opposition in the constellation Leo on the 13th February 2016.

Magnitude: 10.0
Distance to Earth: 1.813 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.799 AU

Blobrana · L

Asteroid (52) Europa is at Opposition in the constellation Cetus on the 5th November 2014.

Magnitude: 10.5
Distance to Earth: 1.974 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.953 AU

Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase     Mag
2014 11 05    02 53 32.8 +04 52 03   1.9745  2.9535   168.8     3.7    10.5
2014 11 06    02 52 44.9 +04 48 31   1.9738  2.9525   168.7     3.8    10.5
2014 11 07    02 51 56.8 +04 45 05   1.9735  2.9515   168.6     3.8    10.5
2014 11 08    02 51 08.7 +04 41 45   1.9734  2.9505   168.3     3.9    10.5
2014 11 09    02 50 20.6 +04 38 31   1.9736  2.9495   167.9     4.0    10.5
2014 11 10    02 49 32.6 +04 35 23   1.9741  2.9485   167.4     4.2    10.5
2014 11 11    02 48 44.7 +04 32 21   1.9749  2.9475   166.8     4.4    10.5
2014 11 12    02 47 57.0 +04 29 26   1.9760  2.9465   166.1     4.6    10.5
2014 11 13    02 47 09.4 +04 26 37   1.9773  2.9455   165.4     4.9    10.5
2014 11 14    02 46 22.2 +04 23 56   1.9789  2.9445   164.6     5.1    10.5
2014 11 15    02 45 35.3 +04 21 22   1.9809  2.9435   163.7     5.4    10.6
2014 11 16    02 44 48.7 +04 18 56   1.9831  2.9426   162.8     5.7    10.6
2014 11 17    02 44 02.6 +04 16 37   1.9855  2.9416   161.9     6.0    10.6
2014 11 18    02 43 16.9 +04 14 26   1.9883  2.9406   161.0     6.3    10.6
2014 11 19    02 42 31.8 +04 12 23   1.9913  2.9396   160.0     6.6    10.6
2014 11 20    02 41 47.3 +04 10 28   1.9946  2.9386   159.0     6.9    10.6
2014 11 21    02 41 03.4 +04 08 41   1.9982  2.9376   158.0     7.2    10.7
2014 11 22    02 40 20.2 +04 07 03   2.0020  2.9367   157.0     7.6    10.7
2014 11 23    02 39 37.7 +04 05 33   2.0061  2.9357   155.9     7.9    10.7
2014 11 24    02 38 56.0 +04 04 12   2.0105  2.9347   154.9     8.2    10.7
2014 11 25    02 38 15.1 +04 03 00   2.0151  2.9337   153.8     8.5    10.7
2014 11 26    02 37 35.1 +04 01 57   2.0200  2.9328   152.8     8.9    10.8
2014 11 27    02 36 56.0 +04 01 03   2.0252  2.9318   151.7     9.2    10.8
2014 11 28    02 36 17.8 +04 00 18   2.0306  2.9308   150.7     9.5    10.8
2014 11 29    02 35 40.7 +03 59 42   2.0362  2.9299   149.6     9.8    10.8
2014 11 30    02 35 04.5 +03 59 15   2.0421  2.9289   148.5    10.1    10.8

Blobrana · L

Title: The Resolved Asteroid Program - Size, shape, and pole of (52) Europa
Authors: W. J. Merline, J. D. Drummond, B. Carry, A. Conrad, P. M. Tamblyn, C. Dumas, M. Kaasalainen, A. Erikson, S. Mottola, J. Durech, G. Rousseau, R. Behrend, G. B. Casalnuovo, B. Chinaglia, J. C. Christou, C. R. Chapman, C. Neyman

With the adaptive optics (AO) system on the 10 m Keck-II telescope, we acquired a high quality set of 84 images at 14 epochs of asteroid (52) Europa on 2005 January 20. The epochs covered its rotation period and, by following its changing shape and orientation on the plane of sky, we obtained its triaxial ellipsoid dimensions and spin pole location. An independent determination from images at three epochs obtained in 2007 is in good agreement with these results. By combining these two data sets, along with a single epoch data set obtained in 2003, we have derived a global fit for (52) Europa of diameters (379x330x249) ± (16x8x10) km, yielding a volume-equivalent spherical-diameter of 315 ±7 km, and a rotational pole within 7 deg of [RA; Dec] = [257,+12] in an Equatorial J2000 reference frame (ECJ2000: 255,+35). Using the average of all mass determinations available for Europa, we derive a density of 1.5 ±0.4, typical of C-type asteroids. Comparing our images with the shape model of Michalowski et al. (A&A 416, 2004), derived from optical lightcurves, illustrates excellent agreement, although several edge features visible in the images are not rendered by the model. We therefore derived a complete 3-D description of Europa's shape using the KOALA algorithm by combining our imaging epochs with 4 stellar occultations and 49 lightcurves. We use this 3-D shape model to assess these departures from ellipsoidal shape. Flat facets (possible giant craters) appear to be less distinct on (52) Europa than on other C-types that have been imaged in detail. We show that fewer giant craters, or smaller craters, is consistent with its expected impact history. Overall, asteroid (52) Europa is still well modelled as a smooth triaxial ellipsoid with dimensions constrained by observations obtained over several apparitions.

Read more (703kb, PDF)

Blobrana · L

Asteroid (52) Europa is at Opposition on the 13th June, 2012.

Magnitude: 11.1

Distance to Earth: 2.363 AU

Distance to Sun center: 3.372 AU

Blobrana · L

Ephemeris

Date       UT      R.A. (J2000) Decl.    Delta     r     El.    Ph.   V 
2012 05 31 000000 17 38 48.5 -15 24 40   2.382   3.365  163.0   5.0  11.2
2012 06 01 000000 17 38 03.3 -15 24 40   2.379   3.365  164.0   4.8  11.2
2012 06 02 000000 17 37 17.5 -15 24 42   2.376   3.366  165.0   4.5  11.2
2012 06 03 000000 17 36 31.3 -15 24 47   2.374   3.367  166.0   4.2  11.2
2012 06 04 000000 17 35 44.6 -15 24 55   2.371   3.367  166.9   3.9  11.2
2012 06 05 000000 17 34 57.6 -15 25 04   2.369   3.368  167.8   3.7  11.2
2012 06 06 000000 17 34 10.1 -15 25 16   2.367   3.368  168.7   3.4  11.1
2012 06 07 000000 17 33 22.4 -15 25 31   2.366   3.369  169.5   3.2  11.1
2012 06 08 000000 17 32 34.4 -15 25 48   2.365   3.369  170.2   2.9  11.1
2012 06 09 000000 17 31 46.1 -15 26 08   2.364   3.370  170.9   2.7  11.1
2012 06 10 000000 17 30 57.6 -15 26 31   2.363   3.370  171.4   2.6  11.1
2012 06 11 000000 17 30 09.0 -15 26 56   2.363   3.371  171.8   2.5  11.1
2012 06 12 000000 17 29 20.3 -15 27 23   2.363   3.372  172.1   2.4  11.1
2012 06 13 000000 17 28 31.6 -15 27 53   2.363   3.372  172.2   2.3  11.1
2012 06 14 000000 17 27 42.8 -15 28 26   2.364   3.373  172.2   2.3  11.1
2012 06 15 000000 17 26 54.0 -15 29 01   2.364   3.373  172.0   2.4  11.1
2012 06 16 000000 17 26 05.3 -15 29 39   2.365   3.374  171.6   2.5  11.1
2012 06 17 000000 17 25 16.8 -15 30 20   2.367   3.374  171.1   2.7  11.1
2012 06 18 000000 17 24 28.4 -15 31 03   2.368   3.375  170.5   2.8  11.1
2012 06 19 000000 17 23 40.3 -15 31 49   2.370   3.375  169.8   3.1  11.1
2012 06 20 000000 17 22 52.3 -15 32 38   2.373   3.376  169.0   3.3  11.1

Blobrana · L

Live Ustream Feed -- Watch the Occultation

Blobrana · L

Asteroid 52 Europa will occult the star TYC 0292-00339-1 in the constellation Virgo at 03:05 GMT, (11:05:30 p.m. EDT) 3rd July, 2011.

Google sky file: Asteroid (52) Europa.kmz (8kb, kmz)

Ephemeris

Date       UT      R.A. (J2000) Decl.    Delta     r     El.    Ph.   V  
2011 07 02 220000 12 32 11.5 +04 39 31   2.991   3.075   85.1  19.2  12.1
2011 07 03 040000 12 32 22.5 +04 37 52   2.995   3.076   84.9  19.2  12.1
2011 07 03 100000 12 32 33.6 +04 36 13   2.999   3.076   84.7  19.2  12.1
2011 07 03 160000 12 32 44.7 +04 34 34   3.002   3.076   84.5  19.2  12.1
2011 07 03 220000 12 32 55.9 +04 32 55   3.006   3.076   84.3  19.2  12.1
2011 07 04 040000 12 33 07.1 +04 31 15   3.009   3.077   84.1  19.2  12.1
2011 07 04 100000 12 33 18.3 +04 29 35   3.013   3.077   84.0  19.2  12.1
2011 07 04 160000 12 33 29.6 +04 27 55   3.017   3.077   83.8  19.2  12.1
2011 07 04 220000 12 33 40.9 +04 26 15   3.020   3.078   83.6  19.2  12.1
2011 07 05 040000 12 33 52.3 +04 24 34   3.024   3.078   83.4  19.2  12.1
2011 07 05 100000 12 34 03.7 +04 22 54   3.028   3.078   83.2  19.1  12.1
2011 07 05 160000 12 34 15.2 +04 21 13   3.031   3.078   83.1  19.1  12.1

Blobrana · L

Join NASA in Measuring an Asteroid

On the evening of July 3 at 11:05:30 p.m. EDT -- at a distance of 280 millon miles into space that poses no threat to Earth -- 52 Europa will pass in front of star TYC 0292-00339-1 in the constellation Virgo. The asteroid will eclipse the star's light for 17.9 seconds in a process known as occultation. Here on Earth, astronomers can measure the exact length of time the star's light is blocked and use those calculations to help verify the size of 52 Europa. They'll also have alive Web chat to discuss how to measure the asteroid 52 Europa on the evening of July 3, 2011, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight EDT.
Dr. Bill Cooke and his team from NASA's Meteor Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center will be watching the sky on the evening of July 3, 2011. Join them from 9:30 p.m. to midnight EDT for a live Web chat to ask your questions and observe the occultation via a live Ustream feed. Amateur astronomers who are observing the event can also report their observations via the associated Twitter feed.
Read more

Blobrana · L

Asteroid (52) Europa is at Opposition at 17:25 GMT, 27th March, 2011.

Magnitude=10.5
Distance to Sun=2.975 AU
Distance to Earth=1.986 AU

52 Europa is one of the larger asteroids in the asteroid belt, having a diameter of 300 km. It was discovered on February 4, 1858, by Hermann Goldschmidt from his balcony in Paris.
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Ephemeris

Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase     V
2011 03 27    12 39 23.8 +06 05 36   1.9855  2.9739   170.5     3.2    10.5
2011 03 28    12 38 40.1 +06 11 38   1.9862  2.9749   170.5     3.2    10.5
2011 03 29    12 37 56.3 +06 17 35   1.9872  2.9759   170.3     3.2    10.5
2011 03 30    12 37 12.4 +06 23 27   1.9884  2.9769   170.0     3.3    10.5
2011 03 31    12 36 28.6 +06 29 12   1.9900  2.9779   169.6     3.5    10.5
2011 04 01    12 35 44.7 +06 34 52   1.9919  2.9789   169.1     3.6    10.5
2011 04 02    12 35 01.0 +06 40 25   1.9940  2.9800   168.5     3.8    10.5
2011 04 03    12 34 17.4 +06 45 51   1.9964  2.9810   167.8     4.1    10.5
2011 04 04    12 33 34.1 +06 51 10   1.9991  2.9820   167.0     4.3    10.6
2011 04 05    12 32 51.0 +06 56 22   2.0021  2.9830   166.2     4.6    10.6
2011 04 06    12 32 08.1 +07 01 26   2.0054  2.9840   165.3     4.9    10.6
2011 04 07    12 31 25.7 +07 06 22   2.0089  2.9850   164.4     5.2    10.6
2011 04 08    12 30 43.6 +07 11 10   2.0127  2.9861   163.5     5.5    10.6
2011 04 09    12 30 02.0 +07 15 49   2.0168  2.9871   162.5     5.8    10.7
2011 04 10    12 29 20.9 +07 20 20   2.0212  2.9881   161.5     6.1    10.7
2011 04 11    12 28 40.3 +07 24 42   2.0258  2.9891   160.5     6.4    10.7
2011 04 12    12 28 00.3 +07 28 54   2.0307  2.9901   159.5     6.7    10.7
2011 04 13    12 27 20.9 +07 32 58   2.0358  2.9912   158.5     7.1    10.7
2011 04 14    12 26 42.2 +07 36 52   2.0412  2.9922   157.5     7.4    10.8
2011 04 15    12 26 04.2 +07 40 36   2.0469  2.9932   156.4     7.7    10.8
2011 04 16    12 25 26.9 +07 44 10   2.0528  2.9942   155.4     8.0    10.8
2011 04 17    12 24 50.4 +07 47 35   2.0590  2.9952   154.3     8.3    10.8
2011 04 18    12 24 14.7 +07 50 50   2.0654  2.9963   153.3     8.7    10.8
2011 04 19    12 23 39.9 +07 53 55   2.0721  2.9973   152.2     9.0    10.9
2011 04 20    12 23 05.9 +07 56 49   2.0789  2.9983   151.2     9.3    10.9
2011 04 21    12 22 32.7 +07 59 34   2.0861  2.9994   150.1     9.6    10.9
2011 04 22    12 22 00.5 +08 02 08   2.0935  3.0004   149.1     9.9    10.9
2011 04 23    12 21 29.3 +08 04 32   2.1010  3.0014   148.0    10.2    10.9
2011 04 24    12 20 59.0 +08 06 46   2.1089  3.0024   147.0    10.5    11.0
2011 04 25    12 20 29.7 +08 08 49   2.1169  3.0035   145.9    10.8    11.0
2011 04 26    12 20 01.5 +08 10 42   2.1252  3.0045   144.9    11.1    11.0
2011 04 27    12 19 34.2 +08 12 24   2.1337  3.0055   143.9    11.4    11.0
2011 04 28    12 19 08.1 +08 13 55   2.1424  3.0066   142.8    11.7    11.0
2011 04 29    12 18 43.0 +08 15 17   2.1513  3.0076   141.8    12.0    11.1
2011 04 30    12 18 19.1 +08 16 27   2.1604  3.0086   140.8    12.2    11.1