4332 Milton

4332 Milton
Discovery [1]
Discovered byC. Shoemaker
Discovery sitePalomar Obs.
Discovery date5 September 1983
Designations
(4332) Milton
Named after
Daniel J. Milton [1]
(American astrogeologist)
1983 RC · 1933 SH1
1989 ET4
main-belt [1][2] · (middle)
background [3]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc84.44 yr (30,841 d)
Aphelion3.3990 AU
Perihelion1.7701 AU
2.5846 AU
Eccentricity0.3151
4.16 yr (1,518 d)
107.91°
0° 14m 13.92s / day
Inclination19.169°
166.00°
198.38°
Physical characteristics
11.26 km (derived)[4]
11.500±3.014 km[5]
11.54±0.6 km[6]
3.295±0.005 h[7]
3.2978±0.0003 h[8]
0.1002±0.0708[5]
0.1158 (derived)[4]
0.2306±0.028[6]
SMASS = Xe [2] · C [9]
11.9[6]
12.7[4]
12.73[5][9]
12.8[2]

4332 Milton, provisional designation 1983 RC, is a background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 5 September 1983, by American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California.[1] The X e-subtype has a rotation period of 3.3 hours.[4] It was named after Daniel Milton, American geologist with the USGS.[1]

Orbit and classification

Milton is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population.[3] It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 1.8–3.4 AU once every 4 years and 2 months (1,518 days; semi-major axis of 2.58 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.32 and an inclination of 19° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]

The asteroid was first observed as 1933 SH1 at Heidelberg Observatory in September 1933. The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Palomar in September 1983.[1]

Physical characteristics

In the SMASS classification, Milton is a Xe-subtype that transitions between the X-type and E-type asteroids.[2] It has also been characterized as a carbonaceous C-type by Pan-STARRS' large-scale survey.[9]

Rotation period

In September 2008, a rotational lightcurve of Milton was obtained from photometric observations by Julian Oey at the Kingsgrove (E19) and Leura (E17) observatories. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 3.2978 hours with a brightness variation of 0.30 magnitude (U=2+).[8] In August 2012, a refined period of 3.295 hours and an amplitude of 0.16 magnitude was measured by Afşar Kabaş at the Çanakkale University Observatory in Turkey (U=3-).[7]

Diameter and albedo

According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Milton measures between 11.500 and 11.54 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.1002 and 0.2306.[5][6]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.1158 and a diameter of 11.26 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 12.7.[4]

Only one brief stellar occultation by 4332 Milton has been observed to date, in 2021.

Naming

This minor planet was named after Daniel J. Milton (1934-2024), American geologist with the United States Geological Survey, known for his geological studies of the Moon and Mars, as well as for research on impact craters and features in Australia.[1] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 30 January 1991 (M.P.C. 17656).[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "4332 Milton (1983 RC)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 4332 Milton (1983 RC)" (2018-02-23 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Asteroid 4332 Milton – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e "LCDB Data for (4332) Milton". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  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 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.
  7. ^ a b Kabas, Afsar (June 2016). "The synodic rotational period of asteroid 4332 Milton". Icarus. 271: 279–282. Bibcode:2016Icar..271..279K. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.02.017.
  8. ^ a b Oey, Julian (October 2009). "Lightcurve Analysis of Asteroids from Leura and Kingsgrove Observatory in the Second Half of 2008". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 36 (4): 162–164. Bibcode:2009MPBu...36..162O. ISSN 1052-8091.
  9. ^ a b c 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.
  10. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 April 2018.