1939 Loretta

Last updated

1939 Loretta
Discovery [1]
Discovered by C. Kowal
Discovery site Palomar Obs.
Discovery date17 October 1974
Designations
(1939) Loretta
Named after
Loretta Kowal
(daughter of discoverer) [2]
1974 UC ·1934 JE
1934 LQ ·1939 EH
1939 GP ·1950 DT
1950 ES ·1951 MF
1955 CA ·1969 TE5
1975 TZ5 ·1975 XW
main-belt  · Themistian [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 67.21 yr (24,547 days)
Aphelion 3.5154 AU
Perihelion 2.7291 AU
3.1222 AU
Eccentricity 0.1259
5.52 yr (2,015 days)
24.968°
0° 10m 43.32s / day
Inclination 0.9058°
40.473°
189.36°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions26.34±0.46 km [4]
29.08±0.51 km [5]
29.83 km (derived) [3]
30.243±0.335 km [6]
30.365±0.351 [7]
25 h [8]
0.0721 (derived) [3]
0.092±0.013 [7]
0.0927±0.0089 [6]
0.101±0.020 [4]
0.103±0.004 [5]
C [3]
10.8 [5] [6]  ·11.0 [4]  ·11.1 [1] [3]

    1939 Loretta, provisional designation 1974 UC, is a carbonaceous Themistian asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 17 October 1974, by American astronomer Charles Kowal at Palomar Observatory in California, who named it after his daughter, Loretta Kowal. [2] [9] The discovery of the asteroid took place during Kowal's follow-up observations of Jupiter's moon Leda, which he had discovered one month prior. [10]

    Contents

    Orbit and classification

    Loretta is a member of the Themis family, a dynamical family of main-belt asteroids with nearly coplanar ecliptical orbits. [3] It orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.7–3.5  AU once every 5 years and 6 months (2,015 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic. [1]

    First identified as 1934 JE at the South African Johannesburg Observatory, Loretta's first used observation was made at the Finnish Turku Observatory in 1939, extending the body's observation arc by 35 years prior to its discovery. [9]

    Physical characteristics

    Loretta has been characterized as a carbonaceous C-type asteroid. [1]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Loretta measures between 26.3 and 30.4 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo between 0.092 and 0.101. [4] [5] [6] [7] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.072 and a diameter of 29.8 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 11.1. [3]

    Rotation period

    A fragmentary rotational lightcurve of Loretta was obtained from photometric observations made by French amateur astronomer Pierre Antonini in March 2011. It gave an approximate rotation period of 25 hours with a brightness variation of 0.12 magnitude ( U=1 ). [8]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named by the discoverer after his daughter, Loretta Kowal. [2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 June 1975 ( M.P.C. 3828). [11]

    Related Research Articles

    Pawlowia, provisional designation 1923 OX, is a background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 20 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 October 1923, by Soviet astronomer Vladimir Albitsky at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was named after Russian physiologist and Nobelist Ivan Pavlov.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1039 Sonneberga</span> Asteroid

    1039 Sonneberga, provisional designation 1924 TL, is a dark background asteroid, approximately 34 kilometers in diameter, located in the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 24 November 1924, by German astronomer Max Wolf at Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany. The asteroid was named for the German city of Sonneberg, where the Sonneberg Observatory is located.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1118 Hanskya</span> Asteroid

    1118 Hanskya is a large background asteroid, approximately 77 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt. Discovered by Sergey Belyavsky and Nikolaj Ivanov in 1927, it was named after Russian astronomer Aleksey Hansky. The presumed dark C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 15.6 hours.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1132 Hollandia</span> Asteroid

    1132 Hollandia, provisional designation 1929 RB1, is a stony asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 27 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 13 September 1929, by Dutch astronomer Hendrik van Gent at Leiden Southern Station, annex to the Johannesburg Observatory in South Africa. It was named for the region Holland in the Netherlands.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1457 Ankara</span>

    1457 Ankara, provisional designation 1937 PA, is a stony asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 18 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 3 August 1937, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany, and later named for the Turkish capital city of Ankara.

    1815 Beethoven, provisional designation 1932 CE1, is a carbonaceous background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 27 January 1932, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory. The uncommon F-type asteroid seems to have a long rotation period of 54 hours (tentative). It was named after Ludwig van Beethoven.

    1295 Deflotte, provisional designation 1933 WD, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 48 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 25 November 1933, by French astronomer Louis Boyer at the Algiers Observatory in Algeria, North Africa. The asteroid was named after the discoverer's nephew.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1241 Dysona</span>

    1241 Dysona, provisional designation 1932 EB1, is a dark background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 77 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 4 March 1932, by English astronomer Harry Edwin Wood at the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa. The asteroid was named after English astronomer Frank Watson Dyson.

    1541 Estonia, provisional designation 1939 CK, is an asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 21 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 12 February 1939, by astronomer Yrjö Väisälä at the Iso-Heikkilä Observatory near Turku, Finland. The asteroid was named after the Baltic country of Estonia.

    1524 Joensuu, provisional designation 1939 SB, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 42 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 18 September 1939, by Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä at Turku Observatory in Southwest Finland, and named for the town of Joensuu.

    1303 Luthera, provisional designation 1928 FP, is a dark asteroid and the parent body of the Luthera family, located in the outermost regions of the asteroid belt. It measures approximately 90 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered on 16 March 1928, by astronomer Friedrich Schwassmann at the Bergedorf Observatory in Hamburg, Germany, and later named after German astronomer Robert Luther.

    3066 McFadden, provisional designation 1984 EO, is a stony background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 15 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 March 1984, by American astronomer Edward Bowell at the Anderson Mesa Station near Tucson, Arizona. It was named for American planetary scientist Lucy-Ann McFadden. The assumed S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 13.8 hours.

    1696 Nurmela, provisional designation 1939 FF, is a Baptistina asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 18 March 1939, by Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä at Turku Observatory in Southwest Finland, and named after Finnish academician Tauno Nurmela. The possibly elongated asteroid has a rotation period of 3.15 hours.

    2043 Ortutay, provisional designation 1936 TH, is a dark asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 45 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered by Hungarian astronomer György Kulin at the Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, on 12 November 1936. It was named after Hungarian ethnographer Gyula Ortutay.

    2013 Tucapel, provisional designation 1971 UH4, is an eccentric Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 11 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 22 October 1971, by the University of Chile's National Astronomical Observatory at Cerro El Roble Astronomical Station. It was named for one of the indigenous Mapuche chiefs.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2120 Tyumenia</span>

    2120 Tyumenia is a dark background asteroid, approximately 45 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 9 September 1967, by Soviet astronomer Tamara Smirnova at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj, on the Crimean peninsula. The asteroid was named for the now Russian district of Tyumen Oblast in Western Siberia.

    1585 Union, provisional designation 1947 RG, is a dark background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 52 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 7 September 1947, by South African astronomer Ernest Johnson at the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa. The asteroid was named after the discovering observatory.

    1461 Jean-Jacques, provisional designation 1937 YL, is a metallic asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 34 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 30 December 1937, by French astronomer Marguerite Laugier at Nice Observatory in southern France, who named it after her son Jean-Jacques Laugier.

    1466 Mündleria, provisional designation 1938 KA, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter.

    (7563) 1988 BC, provisional designation 1988 BC, is a background asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 16 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 16 January 1988, by Japanese amateur astronomer Takuo Kojima at the YGCO Chiyoda Station in the Kantō region of Japan. The asteroid has a rotation period of 6.5 hours.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1939 Loretta (1974 UC)" (2017-05-05 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 10 June 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1939) Loretta". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1939) Loretta. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 155. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1940. ISBN   978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "LCDB Data for (1939) Loretta". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 9 December 2016.
    4. 1 2 3 4 Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv: 1209.5794 . Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8 . Retrieved 9 December 2016.
    5. 1 2 3 4 Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. (online, AcuA catalog p. 153)
    6. 1 2 3 4 Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv: 1109.6407 . Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90.
    7. 1 2 3 Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv: 1406.6645 . Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121 . Retrieved 9 December 2016.
    8. 1 2 Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (1939) Loretta". Geneva Observatory . Retrieved 9 December 2016.
    9. 1 2 "1939 Loretta (1974 UC)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
    10. ↑ Kowal, C. T.; Aksnes, K.; Marsden, B. G.; Roemer, E. (1974). "Thirteenth satellite of Jupiter". Astronomical Journal. 80: 463. Bibcode:1975AJ.....80..460K. doi: 10.1086/111766 .
    11. ↑ Schmadel, Lutz D. "Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4. ISBN   978-3-642-01964-7.
    This page is based on this Wikipedia article
    Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
    Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.