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

916 America
Discovery[1]
Discovered byG. N. Neujmin
Discovery date7 August 1915
Designations
(1915) S1
Pronunciation/əˈmɛrɪkə/[2]
Named after
United States of America
Symbol (astrological)
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc92.21 yr (33681 days)
Aphelion2.9247 AU (437.53 Gm)
Perihelion1.8037 AU (269.83 Gm)
2.3642 AU (353.68 Gm)
Eccentricity0.23706
3.64 yr (1327.8 d)
245.58°
0° 16m 16.068s / day
Inclination11.093°
329.79°
41.772°
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
16.615±0.65 km
38 h (1.6 d)
0.0530±0.004
11.4

It was discovered on 7 August 1915 by the Russian astronomer Grigory Nikolaevich Neujmin at Simeis, Russian Empire.[1] Originally designated 916ΣI, it was renamed '916 America' on 24 February 1923 after the Council of Astronomers at Pulkovo Observatory decided to commemorate "the friendly relations of the astronomical observatories and astronomers".[3] Another possible reason for the name was as a mark of appreciation for the help given during the 1921 Russian famine by the American Relief Administration under the later President Herbert Hoover.[4]

In 1986, assuming that the asteroid was of S-type and that it had a diameter of 15 km, the rotational period was measured to be 38 hours.[5] 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 of 0.053±0.004.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 916 America (1915 S1)". Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  2. ^ Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  3. ^ [1] (1923). Popular Astronomy, volume 31, page 364.
  4. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer. p. 82. ISBN 3-540-00238-3.
  5. ^ 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.

External links edit