2044 Wirt

2044 Wirt
Discovery
Discovered byC. A. Wirtanen
Discovery siteLick Obs.
Discovery date8 November 1950
Designations
(2044) Wirt
Named after
Carl Wirtanen
(discoverer himself)
1950 VE
Mars-crosser · Phocaea
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc66.44 yr (24,269 days)
Aphelion3.1989 AU
Perihelion1.5634 AU
2.3812 AU
Eccentricity0.3434
3.67 yr (1,342 days)
53.286°
0° 16m 5.52s / day
Inclination23.970°
53.646°
50.474°
Known satellites1 (: 2 km; p: 19.0 h)
Earth MOID0.6559 AU
Physical characteristics
Dimensions6.65 km (calculated)
6.66±0.6 km (IRAS:2)
3.6895±0.0003 h
3.6898 h
3.6900±0.0003 h
3.690±0.00005 h
0.1907±0.038 (IRAS:2)
0.23 (assumed)
S
12.838±0.002 (R) · 13.1 · 13.3

    2044 Wirt, provisional designation 1950 VE, is a binary Phocaea asteroid and Mars-crosser, approximately 6.7 kilometers in diameter. The minor-planet moon has an estimated diameter of 1.89 kilometer.

    The asteroid was discovered on 8 November 1950, by American astronomer Carl Wirtanen at Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, California, and later named after the discoverer himself.