Asteroid 117736 Sherrod - Announced by IAU, November 9

It's official: Asteroid/Minor Planet 2005 GQ22 is now recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as:
"117736 Sherrod"
in honor of contributions by Dr. Clay of the Arkansas Sky Observatory on Petit Jean Mountain (Harvard MPC Station H45).

The updated listed of "named asteroids" appeared ammended on November 9, 2006 and included in the long string:

(20559) Sheridanlamp
(5049) Sherlock
(21621) Sherman
(7077) Shermanschultz
(20375) Sherrigerten
(117736) Sherrod
(9681) Sherwoodrowland
(5044) Shestaka
(5707) Shevchenko
(14338) Shibakoukan
(27879) Shibata
(10570) Shibayasuo

...the only new addition being 117736 Sherrod.

It could not have come at a better time as a morale booster for Dr. Clay, who is awaiting exploratory surgery to remove a spinal growth on November 22. The naming of this distant world was recommended by ASO colleague and collaborator Michel Ory of Switzerland who is one of the world's most prolific minor planet discoverers during the past few years. ASO and Ory frequently team up to confirm discoveries, track new objects and provide simultaneous data on a number of celestial events....when it is cloudy in Switzerland, it likely is clear in Arkansas, so the collaboration has been a productive one.

In a petition/citation to the IAU, Ory states:

"Sherrod 117736 Clay Sherrod (Arkansas)

(117736) Sherrod = 2005 GQ22
Discovered 2005 Apr. 4 by M. Ory at Vicques.
Clay Sherrod (b. 1949) is the founder and director of the Arkansas
Sky Observatories, established in 1971 as a research and public outreach
educational facility. He is widely acknowledge for his contribution to
astronomical research and education, archeology and biomedical research."
-----------------------

The petition was submitted to the Minor Planet Center/ IAU in August 2006 and was just acted upon in November. Details and personal comments by Dr. Clay of the newly-designated 117736 Sherrod follow.

AN OVERVIEW OF 117736 SHERROD (2005 GQ22)

"Nothing can deprive you of basking in the glow of your new planetoid." An early comment by ASO supporter and Petit Jean Mountain resident Ted Hutchcroft.

Below is some basic information regarding the asteroid and some personal
comments about it.

It will be a year before ASO-H45, Harvard MPC station Petit Jean Mountain
South will be able to turn its telescope to peer at the minor planet bearing
the name 117736 Sherrod (2005 GQ22).

The asteroid is now visible only in southern skies as it makes its circular
loop around the sun, but will be suitably placed for observation at this
time next year - August 2007 - for CCD imaging of this faint world. About
the size (maximum) of Petit Jean Mountain, up to some 12 miles across, the
asteroid is at such a distance as to typically be quite faint. At present
it is magnitude 20.1, easily attainable via CCD digital imaging at Arkansas
Sky Observatory and other suitable facilities, but not visible to the eye at
this time.

When it returns to northern skies next August, it will be favorably placed
in the constellation of ARIES, the Ram, nearly overhead at dawn at that
time.

An interesting aspect of this small asteroid is that it does make some close
visits to the earth, capable of passing quite close on some apparitions.
Its normal orbit takes it out to a distance (mean) of 169,700,000 from the
sun, making it a true member of the main asteroid belt which encircles the
sun.

117736 Sherrod was honored by Michel Ory of the Vicques Observatory in
Switzerland on August 2, 2006. In his citation for naming the asteroid in
honor of Sherrod, he petitioned the International Astronomical Union (IAU)
with:

"Sherrod 117736 Clay Sherrod (Arkansas)

(117736) Sherrod = 2005 GQ22
Discovered 2005 Apr. 4 by M. Ory at Vicques.
> Clay Sherrod (b. 1949) is the founder and director of the Arkansas Sky
> Observatories, established in
> 1971 as a research and public outreach educational facility. He is a
> worldwide contributor in the
> fields of comets, asteroids and planets and is widely acknowledged for his
> contribution to
> archeology, astronomical research, astronomical education and charitable
> contributions to the
> sciences. Sherrod is the author of 13 books and hundreds of scientific
> publications in fields
> ranging from biomedical research to astronomy and archeology."

Ory discovered 117736 Sherrod in 2005, on April 4; since that time the
asteroid has been measured and seen onlyl 105 times according to the most
recent Harvard/MPC data for this object.

The data shows that this asteroid has a "year" comprised of 1623.6 earth
days (4.45 earth years) in a slightly elliptical orbit.

The announcement on November 9 included the following current orbital parameters for this distant minor planet,
for those who might enjoy putting this object in their "User Objects" directory in their PC sky programs, Autostar or
other planetarium computer program:

(117736) Sherrod

Display all designations for this object / Show naming citation
Epoch 2006 Sept. 22.0 TT = JDT 2454000.5 MPC
M 155.06871 (2000.0) P Q
n 0.22172801 Peri. 130.41478 -0.95427903
-0.24631559 T = 2453301.13544 JDT
a 2.7034749 Node 36.27251 +0.10100663
-0.79894138 q = 2.4356222
e 0.0990772 Incl. 16.63350 +0.28133467
-0.54865408
P 4.45 H 15.3 G 0.15 U 1
From 105 observations at 4 oppositions, 1999-2005, mean residual 0".
59.
Last observed on 2005 June 1. Perturbed ephemeris based on
elements from MPO 84280
--------
Dr. Clay notes: "As far as the honor of having another world bearing my name, I can say that
it is more humbling than the hugeness of creation itself, something that I
see every night when I peer up into the dark sky. The euphoria of having a
celestial object with the Sherrod name is tamed only slightly by realizing
that I must wait a full year to even see this celestial newcomer."
--------------------------------

DETAILS: (From Project Pluto, Guide8 Computer Sky Program)

(117736 Sherrod) 2005 GQ22 mag 19.7
Period of orbit 4.45 years (1623.6 days)
Perihelion distance 2.44 AU
Aphelion distance 2.97 AU
Orbital elements:
Semimajor axis 2.7034741 AU
Eccentricity 0.0990770
Inclination of orbit 16.6335000 degrees
Argument of perihelion 130.4148000 degrees
Long. ascending node 36.2725000 degrees
Mean anomaly 155.0687000 degrees
Epoch of elements JD 2454000.5 (22 Sep 2006 0:00)
Right ascension: 22h12m11.632s
Declination: -37 28' 35.82"
Mean position at current epoch:
Right ascension: 22h12m34.930s
Declination: -37 26' 38.13"
Apparent position at current epoch:
Right ascension: 22h12m36.933s
Declination: -37 26' 32.49"
Dist from home planet: 1.98602047 AU (297,104,433 km)
Heliocentric position: lon 317.07531 lat -16.35461
Heliocentric radius 2.92803 AU
99.39% illuminated
Phase angle: 8.98 degrees
Elongation from Sun 153.24 degrees (morning sky)
Speed of apparent motion: 30.314"/hour at position angle 243.7
Motion is 0.18 degrees/day in RA, -0.09 degrees/day in dec
Assumed asteroid diameter 5.7 km - 15 km
---------------------

ASO will post photos (remember, this IS a 19th magnitude asteoid....) in fall 2007 when it swings through high northern skies!

Dr. Clay