100 Hekate
Encyclopedia
100 Hekate is a large main-belt asteroid
. It orbits in the same region of space as the Hygiea asteroid family
, though it is actually an unrelated interloper. Its albedo
of 0.19 is too high, and it is of the wrong spectral class to be part of the dark carbonaceous Hygiea family.
Hekate was the 100th asteroid to be discovered, by J. C. Watson
(his fourth discovery) on July 11, 1868. It is named after Hecate
, the goddess of witchcraft
in Greek mythology
, but its name also commemorates it as the hundredth asteroid, as hekaton is Greek for 'hundred'.
A Hekatean occultation
of a star was observed on July 14, 2003, from New Zealand
.
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
. It orbits in the same region of space as the Hygiea asteroid family
Hygiea family
The Hygiea family of asteroids is a grouping of dark, carbonaceous C-type and B-type asteroids in outer main belt, the largest member of which is 10 Hygiea. About 1% of all known main belt asteroids belong to this family.-Characteristics:...
, though it is actually an unrelated interloper. Its albedo
Albedo
Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it...
of 0.19 is too high, and it is of the wrong spectral class to be part of the dark carbonaceous Hygiea family.
Hekate was the 100th asteroid to be discovered, by J. C. Watson
James Craig Watson
James Craig Watson was a Canadian-American astronomer born in the village of Fingal, Ontario Canada. His family relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1850....
(his fourth discovery) on July 11, 1868. It is named after Hecate
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
, the goddess of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
in Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, but its name also commemorates it as the hundredth asteroid, as hekaton is Greek for 'hundred'.
A Hekatean occultation
Occultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden by another object that passes between it and the observer. The word is used in astronomy . It can also refer to any situation wherein an object in the foreground blocks from view an object in the background...
of a star was observed on July 14, 2003, from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.