916 America

916 America
Discovery[1]
Discovered byG. N. Neujmin
Discovery date7 August 1915
Designations
MPC designation1915 S1
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 27 October 2007 (JDCT 2454400.5)
Aphelion2.922 AU
Perihelion1.807 AU
2.365 AU
Eccentricity0.236
3.64 a
Inclination11.097°
329.84°
41.538°

916 America is a minor planet that is orbiting the Sun in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter.

It was discovered on 7 August 1915 by the Soviet astronomer Grigory Nikolaevich Neujmin at Simeis, Ukraine.[1] It was originally called 916ΣI, but was renamed 916 America on 24 February 1923 after the Council of Astronomers at Pulkovo Observatory decided to pay tribute to "the friendly relations of the astronomical observatories and astronomers".[2] Another possible reason for the name was as a mark of thankfulness for the help given during the famine in Crimea by the American Relief Administration under President Herbert Hoover.[3]

In 1986, believing that the asteroid was of S-type and that it had a diameter of 15 km, the length of 916 America's day was thought to be 38 hours.[4] Observations by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite have since shown that it has a diameter of 33.2±1.3 km, with an absolute magnitude of 11.20 and an albedo (the extent to which it reflects light) of 0.053±0.004.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 916 America (1915 S1)". Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  2. ↑ Asteroid (916) America (1923). Popular Astronomy, volume 31, page 364.
  3. ↑ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer. p. 82. ISBN 3540002383.
  4. ↑ Dimartino, M. (1986). "A Photoelectric Program for Small and Unusual Asteroids". Asteroids, Comets, Meteors II; Proceedings of the International Meeting, Uppsala, Sweden, June 3-6, 1985. Uppsala, Sweden, Astronomiska Observatoriet: 81. Bibcode:1986acm..proc...81D.