916 America

Main-belt asteroid

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] 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

  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.
  • 916 America at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
    • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
  • 916 America at the JPL Small-Body Database Edit this at Wikidata
    • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters
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