169 Zelia

169 Zelia is a main belt asteroid that was discovered by the brothers Paul Henry and Prosper Henry on September 28, 1876. Credit for this discovery was given to Prosper.^[3] Initial orbital elements for this asteroid were published in 1877 by American astronomer H. A. Howe.^[4]

169 Zelia

Orbital diagram
Discovery
Discovered by	P. M. Henry, 1876
Discovery date	28 September 1876
Designations
MPC designation	(169) Zelia
Named after	Zelia Martin
Alternative designations	A876 SB; 1933 FC2
Minor planet category	Main belt
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	131.26 yr (47944 d)
Aphelion	2.6662 AU (398.86 Gm)
Perihelion	2.0511 AU (306.84 Gm)
Semi-major axis	2.3586 AU (352.84 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.13040
Orbital period (sidereal)	3.62 yr (1323.1 d)
Mean anomaly	249.62°
Mean motion	0° 16m 19.524s / day
Inclination	5.5001°
Longitude of ascending node	354.77°
Argument of perihelion	334.90°
Earth MOID	1.04119 AU (155.760 Gm)
Jupiter MOID	2.65309 AU (396.897 Gm)
TJupiter	3.535
Physical characteristics
Mean radius	16.80±1.3 km[1] 19.3 ± 0.45 km[2]
Synodic rotation period	14.537 h (0.6057 d)
Geometric albedo	0.178 ± 0.035[2] 0.2347±0.041[1]
Spectral type	O (Bus & Binzel)[2]
Absolute magnitude (H)	9.56

Based upon its spectrum, this body is classified as a rare O-type asteroid in the taxonomic system of Bus & Binzel.^[2] Photometric observations of this asteroid during 2009 gave a light curve with a period of 14.537 ± 0.001 hours and a brightness variation of 0.14 ± 0.03 in magnitude.^[5]

It was named for Zelia Martin, a niece of the astronomer Camille Flammarion.^[6]