I would like to add my thanks to Jennifer for this timely reminder about our lost friend, Pierre.
Here is a bit of information about Pierre's asteroid: 13006 SCHWAAR see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13006_SchwaarAsteroid (13006) Schwaar is a main-belt asteroid that was discovered Jan. 12, 1983 by Brian Skiff at the Anderson Mesa Station of the Lowell Observatory. Citation: Pierre-Yves Schwaar (1946-2000) was a well-regarded amateur optician and telescope maker. He was also an accomplished observer and photographer of the night sky, often making resourceful use of simple apparatus.
(Reference: 2001 Jan 09 Minor Planet Circular 20010109)Here is some information on the orbit -- which keeps it between Mars and Jupiter, in the main belt of asteroids...
period = 1252.7706676 days or 3.43 yrs inclination, i =28.51913 deg eccentricity e = 0.2017889 semi-major axis, a = 2.2743053 AU perihelion distance, q = 1.8153757 AU aphelion distance, Q = 2.7332349 AUabsolute magnitude, H = 13.6 (calculated for a distance of 1 AU) -- converts to an approximate diameter of 5 to 12 km (3 to 7.5 miles; depending upon albedo, the reflectance)
Ephemeris – March 2009 2009-Mar-12 00:00 RA 22 48 36.96 DEC -16 53 28.3 MAG 18.98 (and decreasing) This places (13006) Schwaar near (west of) the star Delta Aquarius (Skat)See: NASA-JPL Solar System Dynamics – Small Bodies Database Browser – Asteroids
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?asteroids Conversion of absolute magnitude H to diameter: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/glossary/h.html Gene Lucas (17250) Rick Tejera wrote:
Jennifer, Thanks for the reminder and being the keeper of Pierre’s memory. /Clear Skies/ */Rick Tejera/* */Editor SACnews,/* */Public Outreach Coordinator/* */Saguaro Astronomy Club/* */Phoenix, Arizona/* */www.saguaroastro.org/* <http://www.saguaroastro.org/> */saguaroastro/**/@/**/cox.net/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------*From:* sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *Jennifer Polakis*Sent:* Wednesday, March 11, 2009 20:55 *To:* EVACONLINE *Cc:* sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx*Subject:* [sac-forum] In Memory of Pierre Schwaar May 14, 1946-March 6, 2000http://www.saguaroastro.org/content/SACNEWS/sac2000/sn0400.pdf
