960 Birgit

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960 Birgit
Discovery [1]
Discovered by K. Reinmuth
Discovery site Heidelberg Obs.
Discovery date1 October 1921
Designations
(960) Birgit
Named after
Birgit Asplind
(daughter of Bror Asplind) [2]
A921 TG ·1921 KH
main-belt [1] [3]  ·(inner)
background [4] [5] (Florian) [6]
Orbital characteristics [3]
Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc 98.26 yr (35,889 d)
Aphelion 2.6203 AU
Perihelion 1.8770 AU
2.2486 AU
Eccentricity 0.1653
3.37 yr (1,232 d)
123.62°
0° 17m 32.28s / day
Inclination 3.0260°
249.16°
88.040°
Physical characteristics
7.506±0.110  km [7]
8.85±0.05  h [8] [9] [lower-alpha 1]
0.217±0.027 [7]
S (assumed) [8]
12.5 [1] [3]

    960 Birgit (prov. designation: A921 TGor1921 KH) is a background asteroid, approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) in diameter, located in the Florian region of the inner asteroid belt. It was discovered on 1 October 1921, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory in southern Germany. [1] The possibly S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 8.9 hours. It was named after Birgit Asplind, daughter of Swedish astronomer Bror Asplind (1890–1954). [2]

    Contents

    Orbit and classification

    Located in the Florian region, [6] Birgit 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 inner asteroid belt at a distance of 1.9–2.6  AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,232 days; semi-major axis of 2.25 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic. [3] The body's observation arc begins at Heidelberg on 25 October 1925, three weeks after its official discovery observation. [1]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named after Birgit Asplind, daughter of Swedish astronomer Bror Ansgar Asplind (1890–1954). Asteroids 958 Asplinda, 959 Arne and 961 Gunnie are named after him and his other two children, respectively. The naming was mentioned in The Names of the Minor Planets by Paul Herget in 1955 ( H 92 ). [2]

    Physical characteristics

    Based on its determined albedo, Birgit is an assumed S-type asteroid. [8] The albedo determined by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) for this asteroid agrees with that assumption (see below).

    Rotation period

    In February 2007, a rotational lightcurve of Birgit was obtained from photometric observations by Agnieszka Kryszczyńska at Poznań Observatory, Poland, and international collaborators. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 8.85±0.05 hours with a brightness variation of 0.28±0.02 magnitude ( U=2+ ). [9] [lower-alpha 1] The result supersedes observations by Federico Manzini, Roberto Crippa, and Pierre Antonini from August 2005, who determined a poorly rated period of 17.3558±0.0005 hours with an amplitude of 0.25±0.01 magnitude ( U=1+ ). [10]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's WISE telescope, Birgit measures 7.506±0.110 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.217±0.027. [7] Another published measurement by the WISE team gives a mean diameter of 8.154±0.566 km with an albedo of 0.291±0.044. [5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for a stony asteroid of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 9.40 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 12.5. [8]

    Notes

    1. 1 2 Lightcurve plot of (960) Birgit (1 of 3), Agnieszka Kryszczyńska et al (2012). LCDB quality code of 2+. Summary figures at the LCDB and CDS-VizieR.

    Related Research Articles

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    910 Anneliese is a dark background asteroid, approximately 48 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 1 March 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 11.3 hours and is likely spherical in shape. It was named by German astronomer Julius Dick after his friend "Anneliese".

    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.

    931 Whittemora is a metallic background asteroid, approximately 46 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by French astronomer François Gonnessiat at the Algiers Observatory in North Africa on 19 March 1920. The M-type asteroid has a rotation period of 19.2 hours. It was named after American archaeologist Thomas Whittemore (1871–1950).

    941 Murray is a background asteroid, approximately 18 kilometers in diameter, located in the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at the Vienna Observatory on 10 October 1920. The X-type asteroid has a short rotation period of 3.4 hours. It was named after British professor Gilbert Murray (1866–1957).

    942 Romilda is a background asteroid, approximately 36 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory on 11 October 1920. The assumed C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 6.97 hours. It was named "Romilda", a common German female name unrelated to the discoverer's contemporaries, that was taken from the almanac Lahrer Hinkender Bote.

    946 Poësia is a Themis asteroid and slow rotator, approximately 39 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer regions of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory on 11 February 1921 and given the provisional designations A921 CD and 1921 JC. The F-type asteroid has a long rotation period of 108.5 hours. It was named after the goddess of poetry.

    948 Jucunda is a background asteroid, approximately 17 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 3 March 1921, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany. The asteroid has a longer-than average rotation period of 26.2 hours. It was named after a common German female name, unrelated to the discoverer's contemporaries, that was taken from the almanac Lahrer Hinkender Bote.

    949 Hel is a dark background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 63 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg Observatory on 11 March 1921. The transitional X-type asteroid has a rotation period of 8.2 hours. It was named in memory of the discoverer, after the Norse goddess of the dead, Hel.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">958 Asplinda</span> Hilda asteroid

    958 Asplinda is a resonant Hilda asteroid, approximately 47 kilometers in diameter, located in the outermost region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 28 September 1921, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany. The assumed C-type asteroid has a rotation period of 16.5 hours and is likely elongated in shape. It was named after Swedish astronomer Bror Asplind (1890–1954).

    959 Arne is a background asteroid and slow rotator, approximately 52 kilometers in diameter, located in the outer region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory on 30 September 1921. The X-type asteroid has an exceptionally long rotation period of 123.7 hours. It was named after Arne Asplind, son of Swedish astronomer Bror Asplind (1890–1954).

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">961 Gunnie</span> Very dark background asteroid

    961 Gunnie is a very dark background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 37 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 10 October 1921, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory. The C/X-type asteroid has a rotation period of 21.4 hours. It was named after Gunnie Asplind, daughter of Swedish astronomer Bror Asplind (1890–1954).

    965 Angelica, is a large background asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 60 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 4 November 1921, by astronomer Johannes F. Hartmann at the La Plata Astronomical Observatory in Argentina. The dark X-type asteroid (Xc) with a low TJupiter has a rotation period of 26.8 hours and is likely spherical in shape. It was named after the discoverer's wife, Angelica Hartmann.

    969 Leocadia is a very dark background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 19 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 November 1921, by Russian astronomer Sergey Belyavsky at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula. The uncommon F-type asteroid (FX) has a rotation period of 6.9 hours and is likely regular in shape. Any reference of the asteroid's name to a person is unknown.

    970 Primula is a stony background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 9.2 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 29 November 1921, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory in southern Germany. The S-type asteroid has a short rotation period of 2.8 hours. It was named after the genus of flowering plants, Primula, which are also known as "primroses".

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">1130 Skuld</span> Florian asteroid

    1130 Skuld, provisional designation 1929 RC, is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was named after Skuld from Norse mythology.

    1181 Lilith is a metallic asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 23 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 11 February 1927, by Russian–French astronomer Benjamin Jekhowsky at Algiers Observatory in Algeria, Northern Africa, and named after French composer Lili Boulanger.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2384 Schulhof</span> Asteroid

    2384 Schulhof (prov. designation: 1943 EC1) is a mid-sized asteroid and the namesake of the Schulhof family, located in the Eunomian region of the intermediate asteroid belt. It was discovered on 2 March 1943, by French astronomer Marguerite Laugier at Nice Observatory in southeastern France. The asteroid was later named after Hungarian astronomer Lipót Schulhof. The presumed S-type asteroid has a short rotation period of 3.3 hours and measures approximately 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) in diameter.

    1530 Rantaseppä, provisional designation 1938 SG, is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by Yrjö Väisälä at Turku Observatory in 1938, it was later named after Finnish astronomer Hilkka Rantaseppä-Helenius.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 "960 Birgit (A921 TG)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
    2. 1 2 3 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(960) Birgit". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names . Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p.  84. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_961. ISBN   978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. 1 2 3 4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 960 Birgit (A921 TG)" (2020-01-04 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 13 February 2020.
    4. 1 2 "Asteroid 960 Birgit – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
    5. 1 2 3 "Asteroid 960 Birgit". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
    6. 1 2 Zappalà, V.; Bendjoya, Ph.; Cellino, A.; Farinella, P.; Froeschle, C. (1997). "Asteroid Dynamical Families". NASA Planetary Data System: EAR-A-5-DDR-FAMILY-V4.1. Retrieved 4 March 2020.} (PDS main page)
    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.
    8. 1 2 3 4 "LCDB Data for (960) Birgit". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 13 February 2020.
    9. 1 2 Kryszczynska, A.; Colas, F.; Polinska, M.; Hirsch, R.; Ivanova, V.; Apostolovska, G.; et al. (October 2012). "Do Slivan states exist in the Flora family?. I. Photometric survey of the Flora region" (PDF). Astronomy and Astrophysics. 546: 51. Bibcode:2012A&A...546A..72K. doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201219199 . Retrieved 13 February 2020. (VizieR)
    10. Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (960) Birgit". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 13 February 2020.