1578 Kirkwood

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1578 Kirkwood

Orbital characteristics *[1]
Orbit type	Main belt (Hilda)
Semimajor axis	3.928 AU
Perihelion distance	2.989 AU
Aphelion distance	4.867 AU
Orbital period	7.79 years
Inclination	0.8°
Eccentricity	0.239
Physical characteristics *[2]
Diameter	52.38 km
Abs. magnitude	10.26
Albedo	0.051
History [3]
Designation	1951 AT
Alt. Designations	1944 DF; 1949 TF; 1952 FK
Discoverer	Indiana University, 1951

1578 Kirkwood, also known as 1944 DF, 1949 TF, 1951 AT and 1952 FK, is an asteroid which was discovered January 10, 1951 at Goethe Link Observatory near Brooklyn, Indiana by the Indiana Asteroid Program. This program was conceived and directed by Frank K. Edmondson of Indiana University. The photographic plates were blinked and measured astrometrically by B. Potter and, following her retirement, by D. Owings; and the photometry was performed under the direction of T. Gehrels. During the years 1947-1967, in which the plates were exposed, a large number of people participated in various aspects of the program. The asteroid is named for astronomer Daniel Kirkwood (1814-1895), who was an Indiana University professor.

[edit] External links

• Discovery Circumstances
• NASA JPL Small-Body Database Browser on 1578 Kirkwood
• Goethe Link Observatory

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