Astronomy:916 America

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916 America 24px (astrological)
Discovery[1]
Discovered byG. N. Neujmin
Discovery date7 August 1915
Designations
(1915) S1
Pronunciation/əˈmɛrɪkə/[2]
Named afterAmericas
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc92.21 yr (33681 days)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}2.9247 astronomical unit|AU (437.53 Gm)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}1.8037 AU (269.83 Gm)
2.3642 AU (353.68 Gm)
Eccentricity0.23706
Orbital period3.64 yr (1327.8 d)
Mean anomaly245.58°
Mean motion0° 16m 16.068s / day
Inclination11.093°
Longitude of ascending node329.79°
41.772°
Physical characteristics
Mean radius16.615±0.65 km
Rotation period38 h (1.6 d)
Geometric albedo0.0530±0.004
Absolute magnitude (H)11.4


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

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] It was named after the Americas, which is why it was stated that it was named for the American continent.[4] The name was possibly a mark of appreciation for the help given during the 1921 Russian famine by the American Relief Administration under the later President Herbert Hoover.

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

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 916 America (1915 S1)". https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=916;orb=1. 
  2. Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  3. [1] (1923). Popular Astronomy, volume 31, page 364.
  4. Schmadel, Lutz D., ed. (2007), "(916) America" (in en), Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer): pp. 82–82, doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_917, ISBN 978-3-540-29925-7, https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_917, retrieved 2025-03-06 
  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. Bibcode1986acm..proc...81D.