1071 Brita, provisional designation 1924 RE, is a dark asteroid from the background population of the intermediate asteroid belt, approximately 50 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 3 March 1924, by Soviet astronomer Vladimir Albitsky at the Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula.[15] The asteroid was named after the island of Great Britain.[2]

1071 Brita
Discovery[1]
Discovered byV. Albitzkij
Discovery siteSimeiz Obs.
Discovery date3 March 1924
Designations
(1071) Brita
Named after
Great Britain[2]
(part of British Isles)
1924 RE · 1927 YB
1947 BE · 1948 HB
1948 JG · 1952 FJ
A910 EB · A917 SP
main-belt · (middle)
background[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc107.06 yr (39,102 days)
Aphelion3.1065 AU
Perihelion2.4954 AU
2.8009 AU
Eccentricity0.1091
4.69 yr (1,712 days)
60.276°
0° 12m 37.08s / day
Inclination5.3715°
52.571°
27.137°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions39.45±8.81 km[4]
40.266±12.91 km[5]
50.14 km (derived)[6]
50.29±1.4 km[7]
60.862±0.536 km[8]
62.53±0.65 km[9]
64.23±19.39 km[10]
5.8 h (poor)[11]
5.805±0.002 h[12]
5.8158±0.0003 h[12]
5.8169±0.0003 h[13]
0.03±0.02[10]
0.036±0.005[8]
0.042±0.001[9]
0.0486 (derived)[6]
0.0524±0.0488[5]
0.0637±0.004[7]
0.07±0.03[4]
SMASS = Xk[1] · X[6]
10.10[7][9] · 10.30[4][8] · 10.40[1][5][6] · 10.54±0.25[14] · 10.56[10]

Orbit and classification

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Brita is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population.[3] It orbits the Sun on the outer rim of the central asteroid belt at a distance of 2.5–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 8 months (1,712 days; semi-major axis of 2.80 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The asteroid was first identified as A910 EB at Heidelberg Observatory in March 1910. The body's observation arc begins at Lowell Observatory in October 1931, more than 7 years after its official discovery observation Simeiz.[15]

Physical characteristics

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In the SMASS classification, Brita is an Xk-subtype that transitions from the X-type to the rare K-type asteroids.[1]

Rotation period

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In 2001, a first, fragmentary lightcurve of Brita was published by a group of Brazilian and Argentine astronomers. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 5.8 hours with a brightness variation of 0.38 magnitude (U=1).[11] Between 2008 and 2016, photometric observations gave three well-defined periods of 5.805, 5.8158 and 5.8169 hours and an amplitude of 0.19, 0.23 and 0.20 magnitude, respectively (U=3/3/3).[12][13]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Brita measures between 39.45 and 64.23 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.03 and 0.07.[4][5][7][8][9][10]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.0486 and a diameter of 50.14 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 10.4.[6]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after the island of Great Britain, where the discovering observatory's 1-meter telescope was built. The author of the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Lutz Schmadel, learned about the naming circumstances from Crimean astronomers N. Solovaya and N. S. Chernykh (see 2325 Chernykh).[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1071 Brita (1924 RE)" (2017-03-29 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1071) Brita". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1071) Brita. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 91–92. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1072. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b "Asteroid 1071 Brita – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Nugent, C. R.; Mainzer, A.; Masiero, J.; Bauer, J.; Cutri, R. M.; Grav, T.; et al. (December 2015). "NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year One: Preliminary Asteroid Diameters and Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 814 (2): 13. arXiv:1509.02522. Bibcode:2015ApJ...814..117N. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/814/2/117. S2CID 9341381. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Masiero, Joseph R.; Nugent, C.; Mainzer, A. K.; Wright, E. L.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; et al. (October 2017). "NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year Three: Asteroid Diameters and Albedos". The Astronomical Journal. 154 (4): 10. arXiv:1708.09504. Bibcode:2017AJ....154..168M. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aa89ec.
  6. ^ a b c d e "LCDB Data for (1071) Brita". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d Tedesco, E. F.; Noah, P. V.; Noah, M.; Price, S. D. (October 2004). "IRAS Minor Planet Survey V6.0". NASA Planetary Data System. 12: IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0. Bibcode:2004PDSS...12.....T. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d 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. S2CID 46350317. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d 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)
  10. ^ a b c d Nugent, C. R.; Mainzer, A.; Bauer, J.; Cutri, R. M.; Kramer, E. A.; Grav, T.; et al. (September 2016). "NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year Two: Asteroid Diameters and Albedos". The Astronomical Journal. 152 (3): 12. arXiv:1606.08923. Bibcode:2016AJ....152...63N. doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/63.
  11. ^ a b Angeli, C. A.; Guimarã; es, T. A.; Lazzaro, D.; Duffard, R.; Fernández, S.; et al. (April 2001). "Rotation Periods for Small Main-Belt Asteroids From CCD Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 121 (4): 2245–2252. Bibcode:2001AJ....121.2245A. doi:10.1086/319936.
  12. ^ a b c Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (1071) Brita". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  13. ^ a b Benishek, Vladimir; Protitch-Benishek, Vojislava (April 2009). "CCD Photometry of Asteroids at the Belgrade Astronomical Observatory: 2008 January-September". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 36 (2): 35–37. Bibcode:2009MPBu...36...35B. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  14. ^ 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. S2CID 53493339. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  15. ^ a b "1071 Brita (1924 RE)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
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