While my next post is complete and in the Cyberspace queue for the 30th, those who monitor other types of space evidently held other plans for my posting.
Today, the Minor Planet Centaur list introduced us to a newly named centaur, Rhiphonos. While coincidental to yesterday’s birth of royalty across the pond, there is a mythic element that makes the naming a tad more interesting.
Rhiphonos, discovered on August 28, 2009, was formerly known as the centaur object 2009 QV38 and minor solar system object 346889.
The name Rhiphonos means “throwing” or “casting.”
Rhiphonos was one of twelve sprites dispatched by Zeus to protect the infant Dionysus from Hera. When Hera found out, she was naturally enraged her and she changed the twelve into centaurs. These centaurs later pulled the chariot of Dionysus. I did not know that Dionysus had a chariot, but given his relationship with the sacred wine, it is good that he had a dozen designated drivers.
This centaur comes closest to the Sun at 6.0 AU - reasonably near Jupiter’s perihelion and retreats to 15.7 AU. It possesses a 35.8 year orbital period.
Rhiphonos’ node (heliocentric) is 11 Aries 35 and the perihelion measures in at 25 Aries 12.
As of today Rhiphonos passes through 17 Cancer 13.
On August 1 the position will be 18 Cancer 34.
On August 8 the position will be 19 Cancer 26.
You probably heard it here first. More to come. Once the middle of August rolls around, I’ll generate preliminary keywords and ephemeris.