# 24626 Astrowizard

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'*24626 Astrowizard**([provisional designation](/source/Minor_planet_provisional_designation) '***) is a dark background [asteroid](/source/Asteroid) from the central regions of the [asteroid belt](/source/Asteroid_belt), approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 9 October 1980, by American astronomer couple [Carolyn](/source/Carolyn_Shoemaker) and [Eugene Shoemaker](/source/Eugene_Shoemaker) at the [Palomar Observatory](/source/Palomar_Observatory) in California, United States.[1] The asteroid was named for American science educator David Rodrigues, who would perform at public events as "The Astro Wizard".[1]

## Orbit and classification

Astrowizard is a non-[family](/source/Asteroid_family) from the main belt's [background population](/source/Background_asteroid).[2] It orbits the Sun in the [central](/source/Kirkwood_gap) asteroid belt at a distance of 2.0–3.6 [AU](/source/Astronomical_unit) once every 4 years and 7 months (1,685 days; [semi-major axis](/source/Semi-major_axis) of 2.77 AU). Its orbit has an [eccentricity](/source/Orbital_eccentricity) of 0.29 and an [inclination](/source/Orbital_inclination) of 8[°](/source/Degree_(angle)) with respect to the [ecliptic](/source/Ecliptic).[4] The body's [observation arc](/source/Observation_arc) begins at the discovering observatory just two nights prior to its official discovery observation.[1]

## Physical characteristics

Based on its [geometric albedo](/source/Geometric_albedo) of 0.072,[3] Astrowizard is possibly a carbonaceous [C-type asteroid](/source/C-type_asteroid).

### Rotation period

As of 2018, no rotational [lightcurve](/source/Lightcurve) of Astrowizard has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's [rotation period](/source/Rotation_period), [pole](/source/Poles_of_astronomical_bodies) and shape remain unknown.[4][5]

### Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the [NEOWISE](/source/NEOWISE) mission of NASA's [Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer](/source/Wide-field_Infrared_Survey_Explorer), Astrowizard measures 6.528 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an [albedo](/source/Astronomical_albedo) of 0.072.[3]

## Naming

This [minor planet](/source/Minor_planet) was named by the discoverers after David V. Rodrigues (born 1952), an American astronomical lecturer at the Morrison Planetarium at the [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences) in San Francisco. He is known for his educational outreach on astronomy to the public and school children, wearing a wizard costume.

The official naming citation was published by the [Minor Planet Center](/source/Minor_Planet_Center) on 1 May 2003 ([M.P.C.](/source/Minor_Planet_Circulars) 48396).[6]

## References

1. ["24626 Astrowizard (1980 TS3)"](https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=24626). *Minor Planet Center*. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

1. ["Asteroid 24626 Astrowizard – Proper Elements"](https://newton.spacedys.com/astdys/index.php?pc=1.1.6&n=24626). AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.

1. Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J. et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". *The Astrophysical Journal*. **741** (2): 20. [arXiv:1109.4096](https://arxiv.org/abs/1109.4096). [Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011ApJ...741...68M). [doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68](https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68)

1. ["JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 24626 Astrowizard (1980 TS3)"](https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2024626) (2017-11-26 last obs.). [Jet Propulsion Laboratory](/source/Jet_Propulsion_Laboratory). Retrieved 31 January 2018.

1. No. 24626. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

1. ["MPC/MPO/MPS Archive"](https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html). *Minor Planet Center*. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

## External links

- [Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)](http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/lcdbsummaryquery.php), query form ([info](http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20171216050541/http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html) 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
- [Dictionary of Minor Planet Names](https://books.google.com/books?id=aeAg1X7afOoC&pg), Google books
- [Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR](http://obswww.unige.ch/~behrend/page_cou.html) – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
- [Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (20001)-(25000)](https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/NumberedMPs020001.html) – Minor Planet Center

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [24626 Astrowizard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24626_Astrowizard) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24626_Astrowizard?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.