417.7 h (17.40 d)[2] 17.406 ± 0.010 d[6] (17 d 9 h 45 min)
Geometric albedo
0.0436±0.004[2]
Temperature
≈ 174[7] K
Spectral type
Cb[2]
Absolute magnitude (H)
10.3[2]
Mathilde (minor planet designation: 253 Mathilde) is an asteroid in the intermediate asteroid belt, approximately 50 kilometers in diameter, that was discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at Vienna Observatory on 12 November 1885. It has a relatively elliptical orbit that requires more than four years to circle the Sun. This tumbling asteroid has an unusually slow rate of rotation, requiring 17.4 days to complete a 360° revolution about its axis. It is a primitive C-type asteroid, which means the surface has a high proportion of carbon; giving it a dark surface that reflects only 4% of the light that falls on it.[8]
Mathilde was visited by the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft during June 1997, on its way to asteroid 433 Eros. During the little flyby, the spacecraft imaged a hemisphere of the asteroid, revealing many large craters that had gouged out depressions in the surface. It was the first carbonaceous asteroid to be explored and, until 21 Lutetia was visited in 2010, it was the largest asteroid to be visited by a spacecraft.
^Cite error: The named reference moore was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcdefUnless otherwise noted, parameters are per: Yeomans, Donald K. (29 August 2003). "253 Mathilde". JPL Small-Body Database Browser. NASA. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
^For semi-major axis a, orbital period T and eccentricity e, the average orbital speed is given by:
For the circumference of an ellipse, see:
H. St̀eocker; J. Harris (1998). Handbook of Mathematics and Computational Science. Springer. pp. 386. ISBN 0-387-94746-9.
^Cite error: The named reference icarus140 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abCite error: The named reference Yeomans 1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Stefano Mottola; et al. (1995). "The slow rotation of 253 Mathilde". Planetary and Space Science. 43 (12): 1609–1613. Bibcode:1995P&SS...43.1609M. doi:10.1016/0032-0633(95)00127-1.
^For asteroid albedo α, semimajor axis a, solar luminosity , Stefan–Boltzmann constant σ and the asteroid's infrared emissivity ε (≈ 0.9), the approximate mean temperature T is given by:
See: Torrence V. Johnson; Paul R. Weissman; Lucy-Ann A. McFadden (2007). Encyclopedia of the Solar System. Elsevier. pp. 294. ISBN 978-0-12-088589-3.
^Cite error: The named reference flyby was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Mathilde (minor planet designation: 253Mathilde) is an asteroid in the intermediate asteroid belt, approximately 50 kilometers in diameter, that was discovered...
list of named craters on 253Mathilde, an asteroid of the asteroid belt, approximately 53 kilometers in diameter. Because Mathilde is a dark, carbonaceous...
before the flyby of the 61 km diameter asteroid 253Mathilde. On June 27, 1997, NEAR flew by Mathilde within 1200 km at 12:56 UT at 9.93 km/s, returning...
Planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is a system of uniquely identifying features on the surface of a planet or natural satellite so...
Van Sandau (1843–1926), British suffragette 253Mathilde, an asteroid Mathilde (film), a 2004 film "Mathilde" (song), by Jacques Brel, 1964 Matilde di Shabran...
broadly similar in appearance, if irregular in shape. 50 km (31 mi) 253Mathilde is a rubble pile saturated with craters with diameters the size of the...
of his notable discoveries include 153 Hilda, 216 Kleopatra, 243 Ida, 253Mathilde, 324 Bamberga, and the near-Earth asteroid 719 Albert. Palisa made his...
There are a number of objects in the solar system that have been named after Bulgarian people or places. Many of these are craters on the terrestrial planets...
spacecraft imaged 951 Gaspra in 1991 and 243 Ida in 1993, then NEAR imaged 253Mathilde in 1997 and landed on near–Earth asteroid 433 Eros in February 2001....
entered orbit around 433 Eros in February 2000, having first flown past 253Mathilde. NEAR was also the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid, surviving...
launched on December 4, 1996, carried the Sojourner rover to Mars. Asteroid 253Mathilde Mars Pathfinder's view of Ares Vallis Animation of the rotation of 433...
Typhon I Echidna Logos I Zoe 5 more moons of TNOs 90 Antiope 58534 Logos 253Mathilde and many others 25–50 Carme Metis Sinope Lysithea Ananke Siarnaq Helene...
Browser: 253Mathilde" (2018-10-22 last obs). Retrieved 4 May 2019. D. K. Yeomans; et al. (1997). "Estimating the mass of asteroid 253Mathilde from tracking...
low densities are thought to be rubble piles, for example 253Mathilde. The mass of Mathilde, as determined by the NEAR Shoemaker mission, is far too low...
by a spacecraft, largest asteroid visited by spacecraft at the time 253Mathilde 66×48×46 November 12, 1885 NEAR Shoemaker 1997 1,212 49.5 Flyby Largest...
by a spacecraft, largest asteroid visited by spacecraft at the time. 253Mathilde 66 × 48 × 46 (58 km) 1885 NEAR Shoemaker 1997 1,212 49.5 Flyby; largest...
one of the important coal mining bases in China. A crater on asteroid 253Mathilde was named after the city. Jixi was ruled by the Jurchen and Goguryeo...
List of geological features on 243 Ida and Dactyl List of craters on 253Mathilde List of geological features on 433 Eros List of geological features on...
impact, or alternatively, a stronger faster acting gravitational tractor, as some low-density asteroids such as 253Mathilde can dissipate impact energy....
equipment malfunction 1994-004A 253Mathilde NEAR Shoemaker NASA 27 June 1997 flyby success flew within 1200 km of 253Mathilde en route to 433 Eros 1996-008A...
Highway System Matanuska (crater), an impact crater on the minor planet 253Mathilde This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Matanuska...
century. The crater Loewy on the Moon is named after him and asteroid 253Mathilde is believed to be named after his wife. He died in Paris at a government...
craters of a size comparable to its radius, like those seen for example on 253Mathilde. A probable reason is that the collision that produced the Flora family...