87 Sylvia is one of the largest asteroids (approximately tied for 7th place, to within measurement uncertainties). It is the parent body of the Sylvia family and member of Cybele group located beyond the main asteroid belt (see minor-planet groups). Sylvia was the first asteroid known to possess more than one moon.
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👉 87 Sylvia in the context of P-type asteroid
P-type (primitive-type) asteroids have low albedo and a featureless reddish spectrum. It has been suggested that they have a composition of organic-rich silicates, carbon and anhydrous silicates, possibly with water ice in their interior. P-type asteroids are found in the outer asteroid belt and beyond. There are about 33 known P-type asteroids, depending on the classification, including 46 Hestia, 65 Cybele, 76 Freia, 87 Sylvia, 153 Hilda, 476 Hedwig and, in some classifications, 107 Camilla.
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87 Sylvia in the context of Binary asteroid
A binary asteroid is a system of two asteroids orbiting their common barycenter. The binary nature of 243 Ida was discovered when the Galileo spacecraft flew by the asteroid in 1993. Since then numerous binary asteroids and several triple asteroids have been detected.
The mass ratio of the two components – called the "primary" and "secondary" of a binary system – is an important characteristic. Most binary asteroids have a large mass ratio, i.e. a relatively small satellite in orbit around the main component. Systems with one or more small moons – also called "companions" or simply "satellites" – include 87 Sylvia, 107 Camilla and 45 Eugenia (all triples), 121 Hermione, 130 Elektra (a quadruple), 22 Kalliope, 283 Emma, 379 Huenna, 243 Ida and 4337 Arecibo (in order of decreasing primary size). Some binary systems have a mass ratio near unity, i.e., two components of similar mass. They include 90 Antiope, 2006 VW139, 2017 YE5 and 69230 Hermes, with average component diameters of 86, 1.8, 0.9 and 0.8 km, respectively.
87 Sylvia in the context of Solar System object
The following is a list of Solar System objects by orbit, ordered by increasing distance from the Sun. Most named objects in this list have a diameter of 500 km or more.
- The Sun, a spectral class G2V main-sequence star
- The inner Solar System and the terrestrial planets
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Asteroids in the asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
- Ceres, a dwarf planet
- Vesta
- Pallas
- Hygiea
- Europa (asteroid)
- Davida
- Sylvia
- Asteroids number in the hundreds of thousands. For longer lists, see list of exceptional asteroids, list of asteroids, or list of Solar System objects by size.
- A number of smaller groups distinct from the asteroid belt
- The outer Solar System with the giant planets, their satellites, trojan asteroids and some minor planets
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Rings of Uranus
- Complete list of Uranus's natural satellites
- Uranus trojan (2011 QF99)
- Uranus-crossing minor planets
- Neptune
- Non-trojan minor planets
- Trans-Neptunian objects (beyond the orbit of Neptune)
- Kuiper-belt objects (KBOs)
- Plutinos
- Orcus, a dwarf planet
- Pluto, a dwarf planet
- Complete list of Pluto's natural satellites
- Ixion
- Achlys
- Twotinos
- Cubewanos (classical objects)
- Plutinos
- Scattered-disc objects
- Detached objects
- (612911) 2004 XR190
- 2012 VP113 (possibly inner Oort cloud)
- Sedna, a dwarf planet (possibly inner Oort cloud)
- Oort cloud (hypothetical)
- Kuiper-belt objects (KBOs)
87 Sylvia in the context of 45 Eugenia
45 Eugenia is a large asteroid of the asteroid belt. It is famed as one of the first asteroids to be found to have a moon orbiting it. It was also the second triple asteroid to be discovered, after 87 Sylvia.