2703 Rodari

Discovery and naming

Rodari was discovered on 29 March 1979 by astronomer Nikolai Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, with the object receiving the provisional designation from the Minor Planet Center (MPC). It was later given the number (2703), and on 2 July 1985 the MPC named it Rodari in memory of Gianni Rodari (1920–1980). Gianni Rodari was an Italian writer and journalist who wrote 25 works of children's literature, winning the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1970 for his contributions as a children's author.

Orbit

Rodari orbits the Sun at an average distance—its semi-major axis—of 2.19 astronomical units (AU), placing it in the main asteroid belt. Along its 3.25 year long orbit, its distance from the Sun varies between 2.07 AU at perihelion to 2.32 AU at aphelion due to its orbital eccentricity of 0.06. Its orbit is inclined by 6.03° with respect to the ecliptic plane.

Physical characteristics

Rodari is estimated to be 7.63 km in size, and is classified as a stony S-type asteroid. Observations of Rodari's lightcurve, or variations in its observed brightness, show that it is quite asymmetric, complicating the determination of its rotation period. Nevertheless, analysis by a team of astronomers led by Claudia A. Angeli and published in 2001 revealed that it has a rotation period of about 5.5 hours.

Exploration

Rodari was chosen as the second flyby target for the European Space Agency's (ESA) Rosetta mission in 1996, replacing 2530 Shipka to conserve delta-v. Under the 1996 mission baseline, Rosetta would have encountered Rodari on 5 April 2008 following an earlier encounter with 3840 Mimistrobell in 2006. It would then continue en route to comet 46P/Wirtanen. However, the ESA again changed Rosettas targets in 1999, dropping Rodari and Mimistrobell in favor of 140 Siwa and 4979 Otawara as they viewed Siwa as more scientifically interesting. Originally planned to launch on 12 January 2003, Rosetta missed both targets and 46P/Wirtanen due to issues with the Ariane 5 rocket. It launched in 2004, visiting 2867 Šteins, 21 Lutetia, and its primary target 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

References

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|access-date = 15 November 2025 |url-status = live |archive-date = 3 January 2025 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250103085945/https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=2703

|archive-date = 16 November 2025 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20251116002151/https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/1981/MPC_19811013.pdf |url-status = live

|archive-date = 15 November 2025 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20251115234824/https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/1985/MPC_19850702.pdf |url-status = live

|access-date=15 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250325125752/https://www.ibby.org/subnavigation/archives/flipbook?tx_archive_archivelist%5Baction%5D=show&tx_archive_archivelist%5Bcontroller%5D=Publication&tx_archive_archivelist%5Bpublication%5D=4&cHash=572fd5aef5fbab8a9156d6d9571ac598 |archive-date=25 March 2025

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|access-date=28 August 2025 |archive-date=20 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250720143127/https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta/Rosetta_triumphs_at_asteroid_Lutetia |url-status=live