74 Galatea

74 Galatea

Orbital characteristics 1
Orbit type	Main belt
Semimajor axis	2.779 AU
Perihelion distance	2.115 AU
Aphelion distance	3.444 AU
Orbital period	4.63 years
Inclination	4.07°
Eccentricity	0.239
Physical characteristics 1
Diameter	118.7 km
Rotation period 3	9 hours
Abs. magnitude	8.66
Albedo 4	0.043
History 2
Discoverer	E. W. Tempel, 1862

74 Galatea (gal'-a-tee'-a) is a large Main belt asteroid. Its surface is very dark in color.

Galatea was found by the prolific comet discoverer Ernst Tempel on August 29, 1862 in Marseilles, France. It was his third asteroid discovery. It is named after one of the two Galateas in Greek mythology.

A stellar occultation by Galatea was observed on September 8, 1987.

The name Galatea has also been given to one of Neptune's satellites.