1229 Tilia

1229 Tilia
Discovery[1]
Discovered byK. Reinmuth
Discovery siteHeidelberg Obs.
Discovery date9 October 1931
Designations
(1229) Tilia
Pronunciation/ˈtɪliə/
Named after
Tilia (flowering plant)[2]
1931 TP1 · 1936 MC
1942 PH · 1948 PT
1951 AC · 1951 CM
1973 YW3 · 1975 FP
1976 KB1 · 1977 RC4
1978 VK4
main-belt · (outer)[1]
Themis[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc85.74 yr (31,318 d)
Aphelion3.7569 AU
Perihelion2.6918 AU
3.2243 AU
Eccentricity0.1652
5.79 yr (2,115 days)
283.97°
0° 10m 12.72s / day
Inclination1.0392°
197.37°
166.53°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions27.795±0.276 km[4]
0.069±0.008[4]
11.3[1]

1229 Tilia /ˈtɪliə/ is a dark Themistian asteroid from the outermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 28 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 9 October 1931, by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany, and given the provisional designation 1931 TP1.[5] The asteroid was named for the genus of trees, Tilia (lime tree, linden, basswood).[2]

Orbit and classification

Tilia belongs to the Themis family (602),[3] a very large family of carbonaceous asteroids, named after 24 Themis.[6]: 23  It orbits the Sun in the outermost asteroid belt at a distance of 2.7–3.8 AU once every 5 years and 9 months (2,115 days; semi-major axis of 3.22 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken at Lowell Observatory on 7 October 1931, or two days prior to its official discovery observation at Heidelberg.[5]

Physical characteristics

The asteroid's spectral type is unknown.[1][7] Members of the Themis family are typically C-type asteroids. Tilia's albedo (see below) agrees with this spectral type.[6]: 23 

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Tilia measures 27.795 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.069.[4]

Rotation period

As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Tilia has been obtained from photometric observations. The asteroid's rotation period, spin axis and shape remain unknown.[1][7]

Naming

This minor planet was named after, Tilia – commonly known as lime tree, linden, or basswood – a genus of trees in the family Tiliaceae. The official naming citation was mentioned in The Names of the Minor Planets by Paul Herget in 1955 (H 113).[2]

Meta-naming

The initials of the minor planets (1227) through (1234), all discovered by Reinmuth, spell out "G. Stracke". Gustav Stracke was a German astronomer and orbit computer, who had asked that no planet be named after him. In this manner Reinmuth was able to honour the man whilst honoring his wish. Nevertheless, Reinmuth directly honored Stracke by naming planet 1019 Strackea later on.[8] The astronomer Brian Marsden was honored by the same type of meta-naming using consecutive initial letters in 1995, spelling out "Brian M." in the sequence of minor planets (5694) through (5699).[8]

Reinmuth's flowers

Due to his many discoveries, Karl Reinmuth submitted a large list of 66 newly named asteroids in the early 1930s. The list covered his discoveries with numbers between (1009) and (1200). This list also contained a sequence of 28 asteroids, starting with 1054 Forsytia, that were all named after plants, in particular flowering plants (also see list of minor planets named after animals and plants).[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1229 Tilia (1931 TP1)" (2017-07-04 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1229) Tilia. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 102. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Asteroid 1229 Tilia – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c 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.
  5. ^ a b "1229 Tilia (1931 TP1)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  6. ^ a b Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 978-0-8165-3213-1.
  7. ^ a b "LCDB Data for (1229) Tilia". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  8. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1234) Elyna". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 102–103. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1235. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  9. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1054) Forsytia". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 90. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1055. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.