 Lightcurve based model of 74 Galatea | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Ernst Wilhelm Tempel |
| Discovery date | 29 August 1862 |
| Designations | |
| Pronunciation | /ɡæləˈtiːə/ |
Named after | Galatea |
| Main belt | |
| Adjectives | Galatean |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 9 June 2026 (JD 2461200.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Aphelion | 3.4422 AU |
| Perihelion | 2.1209 AU |
| 2.7816 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2375 |
| 1694.46 d (4.6392 yr) | |
| 106.716° | |
| Inclination | 4.0729° |
| 196.976° | |
| 175.023° | |
| TJupiter | 3.288 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 120.67 ± 7.15 km (composite estimate) |
| Mass | (1.41±0.22)×1018 kg |
Mean density | 1.61 g/cm3 |
| 17.270 h | |
| 0.043 | |
| C | |
| 8.66 | |
74 Galatea is a large C-type main-belt asteroid. Its carbonaceous surface is very dark in color with an albedo of just 0.034. Galatea was found by the prolific comet discoverer Ernst Tempel on 29 August 1862, in Marseille, France. It was his third asteroid discovery. It is named after one of the two Galateas in Greek mythology. A stellar occultation by Galatea was observed on 8 September 1987. The name Galatea has also been given to one of Neptune's satellites.
Photometric observations of this asteroid made during 2008 at the Organ Mesa Observatory in Las Cruces, New Mexico gave a light curve with a period of 17.270 ± 0.002 hours and a brightness variation of 0.08 ± 0.01 in magnitude. The curve displays four minima and four maxima. The spectra of the asteroid does not display evidence of aqueous alteration.
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