40463 Frankkameny

Orbit and classification

Frankkameny is a non-family from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 2.3–3.3 AU once every 4 years and 8 months (1,692 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic. Frankkameny was first identified as by Spacewatch in 1997, extending the asteroid's observation arc by more than 2 years prior to its discovery observation.

Physical characteristics

Frankkameny has been characterized as a carbonaceous C-type asteroid by Pan-STARRS photometric survey.

Rotation period

It has a rotation period of 56.6 hours with a brightness variation of 0.51 magnitude, based on a lightcurve obtained in September 2013, from photometric observations made at the Palomar Transient Factory, California (). While not being a slow rotator, Frankkameny's period is far longer than average, and its brightness amplitude is indicative of a non-spheroidal shape.

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Frankkameny measures 3.9 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.075, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 4.2 kilometers.

Naming

This minor planet was named in honour of American astronomer and gay rights activist Frank Kameny (1925–2011), by the Minor Planet Center and the International Astronomical Union on 3 July 2012. Frank Kameny was a Harvard-trained variable star astronomer. He died 11 October 2011. The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 3 July 2012 (M.P.C. 79911).

References

References

1. [http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/07/10/us-gay-rights-campaigner-frank-kameny-has-asteroid-named-for-him/ US: Gay rights campaigner Frank Kameny has asteroid named for him], ''[[Pink News]]'', 10 July 2012
2. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/asteroid-between-mars-jupiter-named-for-us-gay-rights-pioneer-frank-kameny/2012/07/10/gJQAVz2waW_story.html Asteroid between Mars, Jupiter named for US gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', July 10, 2012
3. Brett Zongker, [https://archive.today/20130118172210/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-07-10/asteroid-named-for-gay-rights-pioneer-frank-kameny Asteroid named for gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny], ''[[Business Week]]'', July 10, 2012
4. Andrew Davis, [http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Canadian-names-asteroid-for-Kameny-Anderson-Cooper-inspires-Chinese-/38548.html Canadian names asteroid for Kameny; Anderson Cooper inspires Chinese], ''[[Windy City Times]]'', 2012-07-10
5. Freya Petersen, [http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/canadian-astronomer-names-asteroid-after-gay-rights-activist Canadian astronomer names asteroid after gay rights activist] {{Webarchive. link. (15 July 2012 , ''[[Alaska Dispatch]]'', July 11, 2012)