_Bechuana.png) Shape model ofBechuana from itslightcurve | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | C. Jackson |
| Discovery site | Johannesburg Obs. |
| Discovery date | 13 June 1934 |
| Designations | |
| (1349) Bechuana | |
Named after | Bechuanaland[2] (nowRepublic of Botswana) |
| 1934 LJ · 1934 NH 1950 PA · 1950 QO | |
| main-belt · (outer)[3] background[4] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 83.06 yr (30,338 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.4872AU |
| Perihelion | 2.5416 AU |
| 3.0144 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1569 |
| 5.23yr (1,912 days) | |
| 336.81° | |
| 0° 11m 17.88s / day | |
| Inclination | 10.049° |
| 307.12° | |
| 305.30° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 23.773±0.282 km[5] 24.249±0.334 km[6] 25.80±0.37 km[7] 28.57±1.17 km[8] 46.30 km(calculated)[3] |
| 15.681±0.0099h[9] 15.6873±0.0001 h[10] 15.692±0.002 h[11] | |
| 0.057(assumed)[3] 0.150±0.024[8] 0.233±0.008[7] 0.2610±0.0357[5] | |
| CX[12] · C(assumed)[3] | |
| 10.20[5][7] · 10.23±0.44[12] · 10.250±0.002(R)[9] · 10.40[3][8] · 10.5[1] | |
1349 Bechuana, provisional designation1934 LJ, is a backgroundasteroid from the outer regions of theasteroid belt, approximately 26 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 13 June 1934, by South-African astronomerCyril Jackson at theUnion Observatory in Johannesburg.[13] The asteroid was named for the formerBechuanaland, what is now theRepublic of Botswana.[2]
Bechuana is a non-family asteroid from the main belt'sbackground population.[4] It orbits the Sun in theouter asteroid belt at a distance of 2.5–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 3 months (1,912 days;semi-major axis of 3.01 AU). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.16 and aninclination of 10° with respect to theecliptic.[1] The body'sobservation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Johannesburg in June 1934.[13]
Bechuana has been characterized as both aC-type andX-type asteroid byPan-STARRS photometric survey. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) assumes it to be a carbonaceous C-type.[3]
In December 2010, a rotationallightcurve ofBechuana was obtained from photometric observations by astronomers at thePalomar Transient Factory in California. Lightcurve analysis gave arotation period of 15.681 hours with a brightness variation of 0.29magnitude (U=2).[9] In January 2011, astronomersPierre Antonini andSilvano Casulli measured a refined period of 15.692 hours with an amplitude of 0.30 (U=3-).[11]
A 2016-published lightcurve, using modeled photometric data from the Lowell Photometric Database, gave a concurring period of 15.6873 hours and determined twospin axis inecliptic coordinates (λ, β) of (153.0°, 32.0°) and (314.0°, 46.0°).[10]
According to the surveys carried out by the JapaneseAkari satellite and theNEOWISE mission of NASA'sWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer,Bechuana measures between 23.773 and 28.57 kilometers in diameter and its surface has analbedo between 0.150 and 0.2610.[5][6][7][8]
CALL assumes a standard albedo forcarbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and consequently calculates a much larger diameter of 46.30 kilometers based on anabsolute magnitude of 10.4.[3]
Thisminor planet was named after theBechuanaland, aBritish Protectorate from 1884 to 1966 and what is now theRepublic of Botswana, north of South Africa. The official naming citation was mentioned inThe Names of the Minor Planets byPaul Herget in 1955 (H 122).[2]
