808 Merxia

808 Merxia is a minor planet orbiting the Sun. It forms the namesake for the Merxia family of asteroids that share common orbital elements and physical properties.

808 Merxia

Lightcurve-based 3D-model of Merxia
Discovery
Discovered by	Luigi Carnera
Discovery site	Heidelberg Observatory
Discovery date	11 October 1901
Designations
MPC designation	(808) Merxia
Alternative designations	1901 GY
Minor planet category	main belt Merxia
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	114.45 yr (41803 d)
Aphelion	3.0921 AU (462.57 Gm)
Perihelion	2.3990 AU (358.89 Gm)
Semi-major axis	2.7456 AU (410.74 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.12621
Orbital period (sidereal)	4.55 yr (1661.7 d)
Mean anomaly	11.0596°
Mean motion	0° 12m 59.94s / day
Inclination	4.7240°
Longitude of ascending node	181.066°
Argument of perihelion	274.396°
Earth MOID	1.41983 AU (212.404 Gm)
Jupiter MOID	2.09197 AU (312.954 Gm)
TJupiter	3.331
Physical characteristics
Mean radius	16.245±1.15 km
Synodic rotation period	30.631 h (1.2763 d)[1]
Geometric albedo	0.2207±0.035[1]
Spectral type	S-type asteroid[1]
Absolute magnitude (H)	9.8[1]

The spectrum of this object indicates that it is an S-type asteroid with both low and high calcium forms of pyroxene on the surface, along with less than 20% olivine. The high-calcium form of pyroxene forms 40% or more of the total pyroxene present, indicating a history of igneous rock deposits. This suggests that the asteroid underwent differentiation by melting, creating a surface of basalt rock.[2]

808 Merxia is the namesake of the Merxia family of asteroids that share similar orbital elements and physical properties. The members of this family, including 808 Merxia, most likely formed from the breakup of a basalt object, which in turn was spawned from a larger parent body that had previously undergone igneous differentiation. Other members of this family include 1662 Hoffmann and 2042 Sitarski.[2]