{{Short description|Main-belt asteroid}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox planet | minorplanet = yes | name = 2980 Cameron | background = #D6D6D6 | image = | image_size = | caption = | discovery_ref = <ref name="jpldata" /> | discovered = 2 March 1981 | discoverer = S. J. Bus | discovery_site = Siding Spring Obs. | mpc_name = (2980) Cameron | alt_names = {{mp|1981 EU|17}}{{·}}{{mp|1977 EL|3}}<br />{{mp|1979 SQ|7}} | named_after = Alastair Cameron<ref name="springer" /> | mp_category = main-belt | orbit_ref = <ref name="jpldata" /> | epoch = 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | uncertainty = 0 | observation_arc = 39.87 yr (14,564 days) | aphelion = 3.0324 AU | perihelion = 2.1023 AU | semimajor = 2.5673 AU | eccentricity = 0.1811 | period = 4.11 yr (1,503 days) | mean_anomaly = 36.213° | mean_motion = {{Deg2DMS|0.2396|sup=ms}} / day | inclination = 7.2772° | asc_node = 172.24° | arg_peri = 254.25° | dimensions = {{val|5.121|0.183}}<ref name="Masiero-2011" /> | rotation = | albedo = {{val|0.322|0.047}}<ref name="Masiero-2011" /> | spectral_type = | abs_magnitude = 13.4<ref name="jpldata" /> }}

'''2980 Cameron''', provisionally designated {{mp|1981 EU|17}}, is a main-belt asteroid discovered by prolific American astronomer Schelte Bus at Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, on March 2, 1981. It orbits the Sun every 4.11 years at a distance of 2.1–3.0&nbsp;AU.<ref name="jpldata" />

The asteroid was named after astrophysicist and cosmogonist Alastair G. W. Cameron (1925–2005), who was associate director for theoretical astrophysics at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He was an early advocate of the concepts of a turbulent accretion disk solar nebula, and of the origin of the Moon by a giant impact on the proto-Earth. He also studied the nucleosynthesis in stars and supernovae, and the cosmic abundances of nuclides.<ref name="springer" />

== References == {{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="jpldata">{{cite web |type = 2017-01-28 last obs. |title=JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2980 Cameron (1981 EU17) |url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2002980 |publisher=Jet Propulsion Laboratory |access-date = 15 June 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="springer">{{cite book |title=Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2980) Cameron |last=Schmadel |first=Lutz D. |publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg |page=245 |date=2003 |isbn=978-3-540-29925-7 |doi=10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2981 |chapter = (2980) Cameron}}</ref>

<ref name="Masiero-2011">{{cite journal |display-authors = 6 |first1 = Joseph R. |last1 = Masiero |first2 = A. K. |last2 = Mainzer |first3 = T. |last3 = Grav |first4 = J. M. |last4 = Bauer |first5 = R. M. |last5 = Cutri |first6 = J. |last6 = Dailey |first7 = P. R. M. |last7 = Eisenhardt |first8 = R. S. |last8 = McMillan |first9 = T. B. |last9 = Spahr |first10 = M. F. |last10 = Skrutskie |first11 = D. |last11 = Tholen |first12 = R. G. |last12 = Walker |first13 = E. L. |last13 = Wright |first14 = E. |last14 = DeBaun |first15 = D. |last15 = Elsbury |first16 = T. IV |last16 = Gautier |first17 = S. |last17 = Gomillion |first18 = A. |last18 = Wilkins |date = November 2011 |title = Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters |url = http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2011ApJ...741...68M |journal = The Astrophysical Journal |volume = 741 |issue = 2 |page = 20 |bibcode = 2011ApJ...741...68M |doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68 |arxiv = 1109.4096 |access-date= 15 June 2017}}</ref>

}} <!-- end of reflist -->

== External links == * [https://books.google.com/books?id=aeAg1X7afOoC&pg Dictionary of Minor Planet Names], Google books * {{AstDys|2980}} * {{JPL small body}}

{{Minor planets navigator |2979 Murmansk |number=2980 |2981 Chagall|}} {{Small Solar System bodies}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameron}} 002980 Category:Discoveries by Schelte J. Bus Category:Named minor planets 19810302