_Numerowia.png) Shape model ofNumerowia from itslightcurve | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | K. Reinmuth |
| Discovery site | Heidelberg Obs. |
| Discovery date | 18 October 1931 |
| Designations | |
| (1206) Numerowia | |
Named after | Boris Numerov (Russian astronomer)[2] |
| 1931 UH · 1974 QE 1974 TY1 | |
| main-belt · (outer)[3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 85.63 yr (31,276 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.0180AU |
| Perihelion | 2.7123 AU |
| 2.8651 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0533 |
| 4.85yr (1,771 days) | |
| 38.115° | |
| 0° 12m 11.52s / day | |
| Inclination | 13.003° |
| 324.44° | |
| 277.42° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 14.173±0.092 km[4] 14.534±0.264 km[5] 15.63±1.09 km[6] 27.90 km(calculated)[3] |
| 4.7743±0.0013h[7] 4.77529±0.00001 h[8] | |
| 0.057(assumed)[3] 0.141±0.021[6] 0.159±0.026[5] 0.1680±0.0205[4] | |
| C[3] | |
| 11.5[1][3] · 11.80[4][6] | |
1206 Numerowia (provisional designation1931 UH) is anasteroid from the outer region of theasteroid belt, approximately 15 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by German astronomerKarl Reinmuth atHeidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany on 18 October 1931, and named after Russian astronomerBoris Numerov.[2][9]
Numerowia orbits the Sun in theouter main-belt at a distance of 2.7–3.0 AU once every 4 years and 10 months (1,771 days). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.05 and aninclination of 13° with respect to theecliptic.[1] The asteroid'sobservation arc begins at Heidelberg four days after its official discovery observation.[9]
In February 2006, a rotationallightcurve of Numerowia was obtained from photometric observations by astronomerLawrence Molnar and colleges at theCalvin–Rehoboth Observatory in New Mexico, United States. Lightcurve analysis gave a well-definedrotation period of 4.7743 hours with a high brightness variation of 0.63magnitude (U=3), indicating that the body has a non-spheroidal shape.[7]
A 2016-published lightcurve, using modeled photometric data from the Lowell Photometric Database (LPD), gave a concurring period of 4.77529 hours (U=n.a.), as well as two spin axis of (64.0°, −50.0°) and (271.0°, −69.0°) inecliptic coordinates (λ, β).[8]
According to the surveys carried out by the JapaneseAkari satellite and theNEOWISE mission of NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Numerowia measures between 14.173 and 15.63 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo between 0.141 and 0.168.[4][5][6]
TheCollaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo forC-type asteroid of 0.057 and consequently calculates a larger diameter of 27.90 kilometers using anabsolute magnitude of 11.5.[3]
Thisminor planet was named after Russian astronomer and geophysicistBoris Numerov (1891–1941), founder and director of theInstitute for Theoretical Astronomy in Leningrad, who was executed for espionage by the Soviet Union in 1941. The accusation was based on the fact that a German had named the asteroid after him.[2] In 1957, his memory was rehabilitated.[10] The lunar craterNumerov was also named in his honour. The official naming citation was published byPaul Herget inThe Names of the Minor Planets in 1955 (H 112).[2]
