120375 Kugel

120375 Kugel, provisional designation: 2005 PB6, is a background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 10 August 2005, by French amateur astronomer Claudine Rinner at her Ottmarsheim Observatory (224) in France.[1] The stony S/Q-type asteroid in the region of the Florian clan has a tentative rotation period of 6.9 hours.[5] It was named after French astronomer François Kugel.[1]

120375 Kugel
Discovery[1]
Discovered byC. Rinner
Discovery siteOttmarsheim Obs.
Discovery date10 August 2005
Designations
(120375) Kugel
Named after
François Kugel[1]
(French astronomer)
2005 PB6 · 1998 SM108
2001 KE74
main-belt[1][2] · (inner)
background[3][4] · near-Flora[5]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 1 July 2021 (JD 2459396.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc22.53 yr (8,228 d)
Aphelion2.8289 AU
Perihelion1.8077 AU
2.3183 AU
Eccentricity0.2202
3.53 yr (1,289 d)
189.77°
0° 16m 45.12s / day
Inclination2.7591°
229.91°
97.616°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
1.05 km (calculated)[5]
6.923±0.0085 h[6]
0.24 (assumed)[5]
S/Q (SDSS-MOC)[7]
16.619±0.003 (R)[6]
16.7[2] · 17.07[5]

    Orbit and classification

    Kugel is a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population when applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements.[3][4] Based on osculating Keplerian orbital elements, the asteroid has also been considered a member of the Flora family (402), a giant asteroid clan and the largest family of stony asteroids in the main belt.[5]

    It orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 1.8–2.8 AU once every 3 years and 6 months (1,289 days; semi-major axis of 2.32 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with its first observation as 1998 SM108 at Lincoln Laboratory ETS in September 1998, nearly 7 years prior to its official discovery observation at Ottmarsheim.[1]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named after French amateur astronomer François Kugel (born 1959), an active observer of comets and a collaborator of the discoverer. He has founded the Chante-Perdrix Observatory (A77) in 2005.[1] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 6 August 2009 (M.P.C. 66728).[8]

    Physical characteristics

    In the SDSS-based taxonomy, Kugel has an SQ-type that transitions between the common S-type and less common Q-type asteroids.[7]

    Rotation period

    In August 2012, a rotational lightcurve of Kugel was obtained from photometric observations in the R-band by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave a tentative rotation period of 6.923±0.0085 hours with a weak brightness amplitude of 0.09 magnitude (U=1).[6] As of 2021, no secure period has been obtained.[5]

    Diameter and albedo

    Kugel has not been observed by any of the space-based surveys such as the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the Akari satellite or IRAS. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora the parent body of the Flora family – and calculates a diameter of 1.05 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 17.07.[5]

    References
    1. "120375 Kugel (2005 PB6)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
    2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 120375 Kugel (2005 PB6)" (2018-02-26 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
    3. "Asteroid 120375 Kugel – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    4. "Asteroid 120375 Kugel – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
    5. "LCDB Data for (120375) Kugel". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 4 April 2018.
    6. 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 4 April 2018.
    7. Carvano, J. M.; Hasselmann, P. H.; Lazzaro, D.; Mothé-Diniz, T. (February 2010). "SDSS-based taxonomic classification and orbital distribution of main belt asteroids". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 510: 12. Bibcode:2010A&A...510A..43C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913322. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (PDS data set)
    8. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
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