{{Short description|Main-belt asteroid}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox planet | minorplanet = yes | name = 79912 Terrell | background = #D6D6D6 | image = | image_size = | caption = | discovery_ref = <ref name="jpldata" /> | discoverer = W. R. Cooney Jr.<br />E. Kandler | discovery_site = Baton Rouge Obs. | discovered = 10 February 1999 | mpc_name = (79912) Terrell | alt_names = {{mp|1999 CC|3}}{{·}}{{mp|1996 PP|1}} | pronounced = {{IPAc-en|'|t|Er|@l}} | named_after = Dirk Terrell<ref name="springer" /><br />{{small|(American astrophysicist)}} | mp_category = main-belt{{·}}{{small|(middle)}}<br />Adeona<ref name="Ferret" /> | orbit_ref = <ref name="jpldata" /> | epoch = 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | uncertainty = 0 | observation_arc = 20.65 yr (7,543 days) | aphelion = 3.1043 AU | perihelion = 2.2475 AU | semimajor = 2.6759 AU | eccentricity = 0.1601 | period = 4.38 yr (1,599 days) | mean_anomaly = 318.81° | mean_motion = {{Deg2DMS|0.2252|sup=ms}} / day | inclination = 10.689° | asc_node = 307.69° | arg_peri = 326.67° | dimensions = {{val|6.340|0.744}} km<ref name="Masiero-2012" /> | rotation = | albedo = {{val|0.053|0.012}}<ref name="Masiero-2012" /> | spectral_type = | abs_magnitude = 14.9<ref name="jpldata" /> }}

'''79912 Terrell''' (provisional designation '''{{mp|1999 CC|3}}''') is a dark Adeonian asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 6 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 10 February 1999, by astronomers Walter Cooney and Ethan Kandler at the Highland Road Park Observatory, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States.<ref name="MPC-object" /> The asteroid was named after American astrophysicist Dirk Terrell.<ref name="springer" />

== Orbit and classification == Terrell is a member of the Adeona family ({{small|505}}),<ref name="Ferret" /> a large family of carbonaceous asteroids in the central main belt, named after 145&nbsp;Adeona.<ref name="Nesvorny-2014" />{{rp|23}}

It orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.2–3.1&nbsp;AU once every 4 years and 5 months (1,599 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.16 and an inclination of 11° with respect to the ecliptic.<ref name="jpldata" /> The body's observation arc begins with its identification as {{mp|1996 PP|1}} by AMOS at Haleakala Observatory in August 1996, more than two years prior to its official discovery observation at Baton Rouge.<ref name="MPC-object" />

== Physical characteristics == The asteroid's spectral type is unknown. Members of the Adeona family are typically carbonaceous C-type asteroids,<ref name="Nesvorny-2014" />{{rp|23}} which Terrell's albedo agrees with.

=== Diameter and albedo === According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Terrell measures 6.340 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a low albedo of 0.053.<ref name="Masiero-2012" />

=== Rotation period === As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve of Terrell has been obtained from photometric observations. The asteroid's rotation period, poles and shape remain unknown.<ref name="lcdb" />

== Naming == This minor planet was named after American Dirk Terrell (born 1965), an astrophysicist, writer, space artist, and mentor of amateur astronomers.<ref name="springer" /> The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 18 September 2005 ({{small|M.P.C. 54829}}).<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive" />

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

<ref name="jpldata">{{cite web |type = 2017-03-31 last obs. |title = JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 79912 Terrell (1999 CC3) |url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2079912 |publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory |access-date = 28 October 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="springer">{{cite book |last = Schmadel | first = Lutz D. |title = Dictionary of Minor Planet Names |publisher = Springer Berlin Heidelberg |page = 232 |date = 2006 |isbn = 978-3-540-34361-5 |doi = 10.1007/978-3-540-34361-5_2767 |chapter = (79912) Terrell [2.67, 0.16, 10.7] }}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-object">{{cite web |title = 79912 Terrell (1999 CC3) |work = Minor Planet Center |url = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=79912 |access-date = 28 October 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive">{{cite web |title = MPC/MPO/MPS Archive |work = Minor Planet Center |url = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html |access-date = 28 October 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="Masiero-2012">{{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 = C. |last6 = Nugent |first7 = M. S. |last7 = Cabrera |date = November 2012 |title = Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids |url = http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2012ApJ...759L...8M |journal = The Astrophysical Journal Letters |volume = 759 |issue = 1 |page = 5 |bibcode = 2012ApJ...759L...8M |doi = 10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8 |arxiv = 1209.5794 |access-date= 28 October 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="Ferret">{{cite web |title = Asteroid 79912 Terrell – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0 |work = Small Bodies Data Ferret |url = https://sbntools.psi.edu/ferret/SimpleSearch/results.action?targetName=79912+Terrell#Asteroid%2079912%20TerrellEAR-A-VARGBDET-5-NESVORNYFAM-V3.0 |access-date = 27 October 2019}}</ref>

<ref name="Nesvorny-2014">{{Cite book |first1 = D. |last1 = Nesvorný |first2 = M. |last2 = Broz |first3 = V. |last3 = Carruba |date = December 2014 |chapter = Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families |title = Asteroids IV |pages = 297–321 |bibcode = 2015aste.book..297N |doi = 10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016 |arxiv = 1502.01628 |isbn = 9780816532131}}</ref>

<ref name="lcdb">{{cite LCDB|number = 79912 |access-date = 28 October 2017}}</ref>

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

== External links == * [http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/lcdbsummaryquery.php Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)], query form ([http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html info] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216050541/http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html |date=16 December 2017 }}) * [https://books.google.com/books?id=aeAg1X7afOoC&pg Dictionary of Minor Planet Names], Google books * [http://obswww.unige.ch/~behrend/page_cou.html Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR] – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend * [https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/NumberedMPs075001.html Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (75001)-(80000)] – Minor Planet Center * {{AstDys|79912}} * {{JPL small body}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Terrell}} 079912 Category:Discoveries by Walter R. Cooney Jr. Category:Discoveries by Ethan Kandler Category:Named minor planets 19990210