The couple chose a name that honored their alma mater in a clever, backwards fashion: is simply "Drake" spelled in reverse. This whimsical nomenclature remains one of the more unique stories in the Minor Planet Center’s records. Physical and Orbital Profile
The Silent Giant: Unveiling 694 Ekard In the vast expanse of the asteroid belt—a cosmic junkyard between Mars and Jupiter—resides a celestial body with a peculiar name and a significant footprint: . Discovered at the dawn of the 20th century, this asteroid serves as more than just a wandering rock; it is a time capsule of the early solar system and a testament to the collaborative, sometimes playful nature of early astronomy. Discovery and a Mirror-Image Legacy 694 Amy
Ekard is a fast spinner, completing a rotation on its axis in just 5.93 hours . The couple chose a name that honored their
Furthermore, Ekard has been the subject of multiple . In 2009 alone, four separate events were observed where the asteroid passed in front of a star, allowing observers to refine its diameter and shape with high precision. Conclusion Discovered at the dawn of the 20th century,
694 Ekard was first spotted on , by the prolific American astronomer Joel Hastings Metcalf in Taunton, Massachusetts. While Metcalf was the discoverer, the convention of the era often allowed those who calculated the orbit to name the object. This privilege fell to Seth Barnes Nicholson and his wife, Alma Stotts , who were then undergraduates at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
It completes a full revolution around the Sun every 4.35 years (1,590 days).
For astronomers, 694 Ekard is a valuable subject for . By studying its "light curve"—the way its brightness varies as it rotates—scientists have been able to model its three-dimensional shape and determine its thermal inertia. These measurements, which range between 100–140 J m⁻² K⁻¹ s⁻¹/², help researchers understand the texture and composition of its surface, comparing it to substances like lunar regolith or coarse sand.