1800 Aguilar

1800 Aguilar, provisional designation 1950 RJ, is a stony Vestian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers in diameter.

1800 Aguilar
Discovery [1]
Discovered byM. Itzigsohn
Discovery siteLa Plata Obs.
Discovery date12 September 1950
Designations
(1800) Aguilar
Named after
Félix Aguilar (astronomer)[2]
1950 RJ · 1952 BJ
1972 XP2 · 1976 YU7
1977 AE1
main-belt · Vestian [3]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc66.54 yr (24,305 days)
Aphelion2.6778 AU
Perihelion2.0362 AU
2.3570 AU
Eccentricity0.1361
3.62 yr (1,322 days)
189.20°
0° 16m 20.64s / day
Inclination5.7893°
124.24°
214.46°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions7.384±0.156 km[4][5]
8.18 km (calculated)[3]
2.478±0.002 h[lower-alpha 1]
0.20 (assumed)[3]
0.295±0.047[4][5]
S [3]
12.6[4] · 12.8[1][3] · 13.07±0.05[6]

    It was discovered on 12 September 1950, by Argentine astronomer Miguel Itzigsohn at La Plata Astronomical Observatory in Argentina.[7] The asteroid was named after Argentine astronomer Félix Aguilar.[2]

    Orbit and classification

    The stony S-type asteroid is a member of the Vesta family. It orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 7 months (1,322 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] As no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made, Aguilar's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation.[7]

    Physical characteristics

    Rotation period

    In September 2008, a rotational lightcurve of Aguilar was obtained from photometric observations taken by Australian amateur astronomer David Higgins. It gave a well-defined rotation period of 2.478 hours with a brightness variation of 0.11 in magnitude (U=3).[lower-alpha 1]

    Diameter and albedo

    According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Aguilar measures 7.38 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.295,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 8.18 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 12.8.[3]

    Naming

    This minor planet was named for Argentine astronomer Félix Aguilar (1884–1943), former director of the discovering observatory and founder of the University School of Astronomy and Geophysics. He contributed significantly to the development of Argentine astronomy in the first half of the 20th century (also see Félix Aguilar Observatory).[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 20 February 1976 (M.P.C. 3934).[8]

    Notes
    1. Higgins (2011) web: rotation period 2.478±0.002 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.11 mag. Summary figures at Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) for (1800) Aguilar and David Higgins Homepage

    References
    1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1800 Aguilar (1950 RJ)" (2017-03-29 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
    2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1800) Aguilar". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1800) Aguilar. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 144. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1801. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
    3. "LCDB Data for (1800) Aguilar". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 19 December 2016.
    4. Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90.
    5. Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
    6. 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 19 December 2016.
    7. "1800 Aguilar (1950 RJ)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
    8. Schmadel, Lutz D. "Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4. ISBN 978-3-642-01964-7.

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