1784 Benguella, provisional designation 1935 MG, is a background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) in diameter. It was discovered by South African astronomer Cyril Jackson at the Johannesburg Observatory on 30 June 1935.[1] It was named for the city of Benguela in Angola.[2] The low-numbered asteroid has been studied poorly.[4]

1784 Benguella
Discovery[1]
Discovered byC. Jackson
Discovery siteJohannesburg Obs.
Discovery date30 June 1935
Designations
(1784) Benguella
Named after
Benguela[2]
(city in Angola)
1935 MG · 1938 EX
1950 ON · 1950 QP
1951 YQ · 1953 FT
1957 JF · 1957 MH
1968 HY · 1969 UU1
main-belt[1][3] · (inner)
background[4][5]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc83.31 yr (30,430 d)
Aphelion2.7242 AU
Perihelion2.0858 AU
2.4050 AU
Eccentricity0.1327
3.73 yr (1,362 d)
174.06°
0° 15m 51.48s / day
Inclination1.4727°
95.271°
184.89°
Physical characteristics
10.480±0.100 km[6]
11.80±0.41 km[7]
16.68±1.3 km[8]
0.0763±0.014[8]
0.156±0.012[7]
0.237±0.045[6]
12.2[1][3]
12.30[7][8]

Orbit and classification

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According to modern HCM-analyses, Benguella is a non-family asteroid from the main belt's background population.[4][5] It orbits the Sun in the inner asteroid belt at a distance of 2.1–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 9 months (1,362 days; semi-major axis of 2.41 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[3] The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Johannesburg in June 1935.[1]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after Angola's city and chief port Benguela (São Felipe de Benguela), formerly spelled Benguella.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 February 1980 (M.P.C. 5183).[9]

Physical characteristics

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Benguella's spectral type is unknown,[4] with no assumptions possible based on the asteroid's albedo (see below)

As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Benguella has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.[4][10] 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, Benguella measures between 10.48 and 16.68 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.076 and 0.24.[6][7][8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "1784 Benguella (1935 MG)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1784) Benguella". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1784) Benguella. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 143. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1785. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1784 Benguella (1935 MG)" (2018-10-22 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Asteroid 1784 Benguella". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Asteroid (1784) Benguella – Proper elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  6. ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Nugent, C. R.; Bauer, J. M.; Stevenson, R.; et al. (August 2014). "Main-belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-infrared Albedos". The Astrophysical Journal. 791 (2): 11. arXiv:1406.6645. Bibcode:2014ApJ...791..121M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/791/2/121.
  7. ^ 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)
  8. ^ 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 – IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0: IRAS-A-FPA-3-RDR-IMPS-V6.0. Bibcode:2004PDSS...12.....T. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  9. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  10. ^ "LCDB Data for (1784) Benguella". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 10 December 2018.
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