Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | M. F. Wolf |
Discovery site | Heidelberg Obs. |
Discovery date | 31 May 1918 |
Designations | |
(893) Leopoldina | |
Named after | Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (Germany's nat'l academy) [2] |
A918 KD ·1935 OL 1918 DS | |
main-belt [1] [3] ·(outer) background [4] [5] | |
Orbital characteristics [3] | |
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
Observation arc | 101.67 yr (37,134 d) |
Aphelion | 3.5069 AU |
Perihelion | 2.6027 AU |
3.0548 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.1480 |
5.34 yr (1,950 d) | |
291.98° | |
0° 11m 4.56s / day | |
Inclination | 17.025° |
144.94° | |
222.40° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 82.8 km × 59.8 km [5] |
Mean diameter | |
14.115±0.003 h [9] [lower-alpha 1] | |
9.6 [1] [3] | |
893 Leopoldina (prov. designation: A918 KDor1918 DS) is a large and elongated background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg Observatory on 31 May 1918. [1] The dark carbonaceous C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 14.1 hours and measures approximately 76 kilometers (47 miles) in diameter. It was named for Germany's national academy, the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Halle. [2]
Leopoldina is a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population when applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements. [4] [5] It orbits the Sun in the outer asteroid belt at a distance of 2.6–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 4 months (1,950 days; semi-major axis of 3.05 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 17° with respect to the ecliptic. [3] The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Heidelberg Observatory on 31 May 1918. [1]
In the Tholen classification, Leopoldina's asteroid spectral type is closest to that of an X-type, and somewhat similar to that of a dark F-type asteroid (XF), while in both the Tholen- and SMASS-like taxonomy of the Small Solar System Objects Spectroscopic Survey (S3OS2), it is a common carbonaceous C-type asteroid. [3] [5] [10]
This minor planet was named for Germany's national academy, the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (German: Carolinisch-Leopoldinische Akademie der Naturforscher) in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. The naming citation was mentioned in The Names of the Minor Planets by Paul Herget in 1955 ( H 86 ). [2]
In April 2008, a rotational lightcurve of Leopoldina was obtained from photometric observations by Brian Warner at the Palmer Divide Observatory ( 716 ) in Colorado. Analysis gave a classically shaped bimodal lightcurve with a well-defined rotation period of 14.115±0.003 hours and a brightness variation of 0.18±0.02 magnitude ( U=3 ). [9] [lower-alpha 1] The result supersedes Warner's previous observation from August 2005, which determined a period of 10.51±0.01 hours and an amplitude of 0.35±0.02 magnitude ( U=2 ). [11]
According to the survey carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), Leopoldina measures (75.55±0.97), (76.14±4.5) and (85.992±0.577) kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of (0.051±0.001), (0.0497±0.006) and (0.039±0.007), respectively. [6] [7] [8] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link adopts the results obtained by IRAS, that is, an albedo of 0.0497 and a diameter of 76.14 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 9.47. [12]
Alternative mean-diameter measurements published by the WISE team include (57.900±15.097 km), (68.91±23.37 km), (76±8 km), (76.1±15.2 km) and (76.623±2.309 km) with albedos in the range of 0.049 to 0.06. [5] [12]
Three asteroid occultation were obtained on 29 January 1996, 30 August 2010 and 16 May 2015. They gave a best-fit ellipse dimension of 79.0 × 72.0 kilometers, 82.8 × 59.8 kilometers (best), and 75.0 × 75.0 kilometers, respectively. These timed observations are taken when the asteroid passes in front of a distant star. [5]
760 Massinga is a large background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 70 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomer Franz Kaiser at the Heidelberg Observatory on 28 August 1913. The stony S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 10.7 hours and is somewhat elongated in shape. It was named in memory of Adam Massinger (1888–1914), a German astronomer at Heidelberg who was killed in World War I.
779 Nina is a large background asteroid, approximately 80 kilometers in diameter, located in the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 25 January 1914, by Russian astronomer Grigory Neujmin(1886-1946) at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula. The metallic X-type asteroid with an intermediate albedo has a rotation period of 11.2 hours. It was named after the discoverer's sister, Nina Neujmina (Tsentilovich) (1889–1971).
817 Annika is a background asteroid in the region of the Eunomia family, located in the central portion of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 6 February 1916, by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany. The stony S-type asteroid (Sl) has a rotation period of 10.56 hours and measures approximately 23 kilometers in diameter. Any reference of the asteroid's name to a person is unknown.
869 Mellena is a dark background asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 9 May 1917, by astronomer Richard Schorr at the Bergedorf Observatory in Hamburg. The carbonaceous C-type asteroid has a shorter than average rotation period of 6.5 hours and measures approximately 19 kilometers in diameter. It was named after Werner von Melle (1853–1937), mayor of Hamburg, who founded the discovering observatory.
888 Parysatis is a stony background asteroid, approximately 44 kilometers in diameter, that is located in the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg Observatory on 2 February 1918. The S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 5.9 hours. It was named after the Persian Queen Parysatis from the Achaemenid Empire of the 5th century BC.
889 Erynia is a highly elongated background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 5 March 1918, by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory, and given the provisional designations A918 EN and 1918 DG. The stony S-type asteroid (Sl) has a rotation period of 9.89 hours and measures approximately 17 kilometers in diameter. It was named from Greek mythology, after the Erinyes, also known as Furies.
891 Gunhild is a large background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, that measures approximately 58 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 17 May 1918, by astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany. The dark D-type asteroid has a rotation period of 11.9 hours. Any reference of the asteroid's name to a person is unknown.
894 Erda is a bright background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 4 June 1918, by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory. The X-type asteroid has a short rotation period of 4.7 hours and measures approximately 37 kilometers in diameter. It was likely named after a character in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, "Erda", who is the goddess of wisdom, fate and Earth, borrowed from the Norse sagas, and referring to both Urðr and Jörð in Norse mythology.
904 Rockefellia is a dark and large background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, that measures approximately 59 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 29 October 1918, by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory. The carbonaceous C-type asteroid (Ch) has a rotation period of 6.8 hours and is rather spherical in shape. It was named after American philanthropist and oil industrialist John D. Rockefeller (1839–1937).
907 Rhoda is a large background asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt, that measures approximately 75 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 12 November 1918, by astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany. The dark C/X-type asteroid has a long rotation period of 22.4 hours and is likely spherical in shape. It was named after Rhoda Barnard, wife of American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard (1857–1923).
908 Buda is a background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 30 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg Observatory on 30 November 1918. The uncommon L-type asteroid has a rotation period of 14.6 hours. It was named after Buda, the smaller part of the Hungarian city of Budapest.
921 Jovita is a dark background asteroid, approximately 58 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 4 September 1919, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany. The carbonaceous C-type asteroid (Ch) has a rotation period of 15.6 hours and is likely spherical in shape. It was named "Jovita", a common German female name unrelated to the discoverer's contemporaries, that was taken from the almanac Lahrer Hinkender Bote.
932 Hooveria is a dark background asteroid, approximately 59 kilometers in diameter, located in the inner region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at the Vienna Observatory on 23 March 1920. The carbonaceous C-type asteroid (Ch) has a long rotation period of 78.4 hours. It was named after then-Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover (1874–1964), who later became president of the United States.
957 Camelia is a large, carbonaceous background asteroid and slow rotator, approximately 70 kilometers in diameter. It is located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt and was discovered on 7 September 1921, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in Germany and given the provisional designations A921 RF and 1921 JX. The C-type asteroid (Cb) has a long rotation period of at least 150 hours. It was named after the genus of flowering plants, Camellia.
977 Philippa is a large background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 65 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 6 April 1922, by Russian–French astronomer Benjamin Jekhowsky at the Algiers Observatory in Northern Africa. The C-type asteroid is likely irregular in shape and has a rotation period of 15.4 hours. It was named after French financier Baron Philippe de Rothschild (1902–1988).
979 Ilsewa is a background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 36 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory on 29 June 1922. The uncommon T-type asteroid has a longer-than average rotation period of 42.6 hours. It was named after Ilse Walldorf, an acquaintance of the discoverer.
982 Franklina is a background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 32 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 21 May 1922, by South African astronomer Harry Edwin Wood at the Union Observatory in Johannesburg. The uncommon A/Ld-type asteroid has a rotation period of at least 16 hours. It was named after British amateur astronomer John Franklin Adams (1843–1912).
986 Amelia is a large background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 50 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 19 October 1922, by Spanish astronomer Josep Comas i Solà at the Fabra Observatory in Barcelona. The L/D-type asteroid has a rotation period of 9.5 hours. It was named after the discoverer's wife, Amelia Solà.
989 Schwassmannia is a stony background asteroid and a slow rotator from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 12.5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 18 November 1922, by astronomer Friedrich Karl Arnold Schwassmann at the Bergedorf Observatory in Hamburg, Germany. The bright S/T-type asteroid has a long rotation period of 107.9 hours. It was named after the discoverer himself.
1817 Katanga, provisional designation 1939 MB, is a stony Phocaea asteroid in from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 16 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 20 June 1939, by English-born South African astronomer Cyril Jackson at Johannesburg Observatory in South Africa. It is named for the Katanga Province.