844 Leontina, provisional designation 1916 AP, is a stony asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, about 36 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 October 1916, by Austrian astronomer Joseph Rheden at Vienna Observatory, Austria.[9]

844 Leontina
Modelled shape of Leontina from its lightcurve
Discovery [1]
Discovered byJ. Rheden
Discovery siteVienna Obs.
Discovery date1 October 1916
Designations
(844) Leontina
Pronunciation/lɒnˈtnə/
Named after
Lienz
(discoverer's home town)[2]
1916 AP · 1935 BN
1953 FL1 · A902 EC
main-belt · (outer)[1]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc114.11 yr (41680 d)
Aphelion3.4273 AU (512.72 Gm)
Perihelion2.9894 AU (447.21 Gm)
3.2084 AU (479.97 Gm)
Eccentricity0.068232
5.75 yr (2099.0 d)
213.70°
0° 10m 17.436s / day
Inclination8.7853°
348.76°
351.03°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions39.90±0.79 km[3]
49.558±0.785 km[4]
28.85±1.47 km[5]
35.73 km (calculated)[6]
6.7859±0.0002 h[7]
6.784±0.001 h[7]
6.7965±0.0028 h[8]
6.7859 h (0.28275 d)[1]
0.200±0.010[3]
0.1255±0.0132[4]
0.307±0.036[5]
SMASS = X[1] · S[6]
9.6[1]

Description

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Leontina is an X-type asteroid in the SMASS classification. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 3.0–3.4 AU once every 5 years and 9 months (2,097 days). Its orbit is tilted by 9 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic and shows an eccentricity of 0.07.[1]

Multiple lightcurve analysis rendered a well-defined, concurring rotation period of 6.79 hours.[7][8] According to the surveys carried out by the Japanese Akari satellite and the U.S. Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, measurements of the body's brightness gave a divergent albedo of 0.13, 0.20 and 0.31, respectively.[3][4][5] As a result, the asteroid's estimated diameter strongly varies between 28 and 40 kilometers. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) considers Akari's albedo-figure of 0.20 the most accurate one and consequently assumes the otherwise classified X-type body to be of a stony surface composition with a calculated diameter of 36 kilometers.[6]

This minor planet was named by the discoverer for his home town Lienz in East Tyrol, Austria.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 844 Leontina (1916 AP)" (2015-11-11 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). "(844) Leontina". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (844) Leontina. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 77. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_845. ISBN 978-3-540-29925-7.
  3. ^ a b c Usui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. (online, AcuA catalog p. 153)
  4. ^ a b c 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. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  5. ^ a b c 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 4 January 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "LCDB Data for (844) Leontina". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b c Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (844) Leontina". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  8. ^ a b Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  9. ^ "844 Leontina (1916 AP)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
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