1459 Magnya, provisional designation 1937 VA, is a basaltic, slightly elongated asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 20 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by Grigory Neujmin at the Simeiz Observatory in 1937,[15] this background asteroid was later named from the Latin word "Magnya", which means "clear, bright, wonderful" when literally translated into Russian.[2] It is the only known basalt asteroid orbiting beyond 4 Vesta.[16]

1459 Magnya
Shape of Magnya modelled from its lightcurve
Discovery[1]
Discovered byG. Neujmin
Discovery siteSimeiz Obs.
Discovery date4 November 1937
Designations
(1459) Magnya
Named after
Magnya[2]
("clear, bright, wonderful")
1937 VA
main-belt · (outer)[3]
background[4]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc79.48 yr (29,030 days)
Aphelion3.8761 AU
Perihelion2.4113 AU
3.1437 AU
Eccentricity0.2330
5.57 yr (2,036 days)
121.53°
0° 10m 36.48s / day
Inclination16.940°
41.541°
328.81°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions17 km[5]
17.4 km (taken)[3]
29.188±1.833 km[6]
29.90±3.1 km[7]
4.678±0.001 h[8]
4.67888±0.00004 h[9]
4.679100±0.000005 h[10]
4.679102±0.000001 h[11]
4.67911±0.00005 h[12]
4.68 h[13]
4.680 h[5]
0.2168±0.053[7]
0.37[5]
0.909±0.224[6]
V (Tholen)[3]
8.39[6] · 9.90[7] · 10.4[1] · 10.5[3][5] · 10.69±0.23[14]

Discovery

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Magnya was discovered on 4 November 1937, by Soviet astronomer Grigory Neujmin at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula.[15] Two nights later, it was independently discovered by French astronomer André Patry at Nice Observatory on 6 November 1937.[2] The Minor Planet Center only recognizes the first discoverer,[15] although Patry was first to announce the discovery.[1] However, André Patry later received the honor to name the asteroid (see below).[2]

Orbit and classification

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Magnya is a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population.[4] It orbits the Sun in the outer asteroid belt at a distance of 2.4–3.9 AU once every 5 years and 7 months (2,036 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.23 and an inclination of 17° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The body's observation arc begins at Nice Observatory, 22 days after its official discovery observation at Simeiz.[15]

Physical characteristics

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Spectral type and mineralogy

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Magnya is a V-type asteroid in the Tholen classification.[3] The spectrum of this object show that it has a basaltic surface, which may indicate that it is a remnant from a larger parent body that underwent differentiation prior to breaking up. As of 2000, it is the only known basalt asteroid orbiting beyond 4 Vesta in the outer main belt.[16]

Rotation period and poles

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Several rotational lightcurves of Magnya have been obtained from photometric observations since 2005. Lightcurve analysis gave a consolidated rotation period of 4.678 hours with a brightness variation between 0.57 and 0.84 magnitude (U=3/3/2/3).[5][8][9][13] A high brightness amplitude is indicative of a non-spherical, elongated shape.

The asteroid's lightcurve has also been modeled several time using photometric data from the Lowell Photometric Database and other sources. Modelling gave a concurring (sidereal) period of 4.679100, 4.679102 and 4.67911 hours.[10][11][12] The studies determined two spin axis in ecliptic coordinates (λ, β): (73.0°, −54.0°) and (198.0°, −55.0°),[11] as well as (72.0°, −59.0°) and (207.0°, −51.0°).[12] Modeling also confirmed that the body is a slightly elongated ellipsoid, and revealed that it is rotating along the smallest axis and that it has an almost homogeneous surface.[10]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, as well as interferometric observations with the VLTI, Magnya measures between 17 and 29.90 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.2168 and an exceptionally high 0.909.[5][6][7]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link adopts the results obtained by the VLT, that is an albedo of 0.37 and takes a diameter of 17.4 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 10.5.[3]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after "Magnya", which means "clear, bright, wonderful" when literally translated from Latin into Russian. The name was proposed by the second, unofficial discoverer André Patry, who was also the first to compute the asteroid's orbit (research by the author of the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Lutz D. Schmadel, is based on private communications with Crimean astronomers N. Solovaya and N. S. Chernykh).[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1459 Magnya (1937 VA)" (2017-04-30 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1459) Magnya". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1459) Magnya. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 117. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1460. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (1459) Magnya". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Asteroid 1459 Magnya – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Delbo, Marco; Gai, Mario; Lattanzi, Mario G.; Ligori, Sebastiano; Loreggia, Davide; Saba, Laura; et al. (April 2006). "MIDI observations of 1459 Magnya: First attempt of interferometric observations of asteroids with the VLTI". Icarus. 181 (2): 618–622. Bibcode:2006Icar..181..618D. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.01.001. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv:1209.5794. Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d Tedesco, E. F.; Noah, P. V.; Noah, M.; Price, S. D. (October 2004). "IRAS Minor Planet Survey V6.0". NASA Planetary Data System. 12: IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0. Bibcode:2004PDSS...12.....T. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  8. ^ a b Licchelli, Domenico (March 2006). "Lightcurve analysis of asteroids 78, 126, 522, 565, 714, 1459, 6974". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 33 (1): 11–13. Bibcode:2006MPBu...33...11L. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  9. ^ a b Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (1459) Magnya". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  10. ^ a b c Silva, J. S.; Lazzaro, D. (August 2015). "Pole and shape of (1459) Magnya, the outer main belt basaltic asteroid". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 580: 5. Bibcode:2015A&A...580A..70S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201526350. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  11. ^ a b c Durech, J.; Hanus, J.; Oszkiewicz, D.; Vanco, R. (March 2016). "Asteroid models from the Lowell photometric database". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 587: 6. arXiv:1601.02909. Bibcode:2016A&A...587A..48D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201527573. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  12. ^ a b c Hanus, J.; Durech, J.; Oszkiewicz, D. A.; Behrend, R.; Carry, B.; Delbo, M.; et al. (February 2016). "New and updated convex shape models of asteroids based on optical data from a large collaboration network". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 586: 24. arXiv:1510.07422. Bibcode:2016A&A...586A.108H. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201527441.
  13. ^ a b Almeida, R.; Angeli, C. A.; Duffard, R.; Lazzaro, D. (February 2004). "Rotation periods for small main-belt asteroids". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 415: 403–406. Bibcode:2004A&A...415..403A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034585. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  14. ^ Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  15. ^ a b c d "1459 Magnya (1937 VA)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  16. ^ a b Lazzaro, D.; Michtchenko, T.; Carvano, J. M.; Binzel, R. P.; Bus, S. J.; Burbine, T. H.; et al. (June 2000). "Discovery of a Basaltic Asteroid in the Outer Main Belt" (PDF). Science. 288 (5473): 2033–2035. Bibcode:2000Sci...288.2033L. doi:10.1126/science.288.5473.2033. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
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