1366 Piccolo, provisional designation 1932 WA, is an asteroid from the background population of the outer asteroid belt, approximately 28 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 29 November 1932, by astronomer Eugène Delporte at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle.[13] The asteroid was named after Auguste Cauvin, chief-editor of the Belgian newspaper Le Soir.[2]

1366 Piccolo
Modelled shape of Piccolo from its lightcurve
Discovery[1]
Discovered byE. Delporte
Discovery siteUccle Obs.
Discovery date29 November 1932
Designations
(1366) Piccolo
Named after
Auguste Cauvin[2]
(Chief-editor Le Soir)
1932 WA · 1930 FA1
1931 PC · 1931 RJ1
1935 GM · 1935 JM
1950 KL · 1961 TL1
1961 VP · A916 NB
main-belt · (outer)[3]
background[4]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc84.51 yr (30,868 days)
Aphelion3.2803 AU
Perihelion2.4686 AU
2.8745 AU
Eccentricity0.1412
4.87 yr (1,780 days)
245.21°
0° 12m 7.92s / day
Inclination9.4758°
24.147°
282.70°
Physical characteristics
26.92±1.03 km[5]
27.50 km (derived)[3]
27.55±1.8 km[6]
28.02±2.68 km[7]
29.9 km[8]
16.048±0.003 h[9]
16.05±0.05 h[9]
16.1834±0.0005 h[10]
16.57 h[11]
0.131[8]
0.1447 (derived)[3]
0.1538±0.022[6]
0.167±0.014[5]
0.199±0.251[7]
X[12] · S[3]
B–V = 0.710[1]
U–B = 0.180[1]
10.14[7] · 10.24±0.30[12] · 10.45[1][5][6][8] · 10.52[3][11]

Orbit and classification

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Piccolo is a non-family asteroid of the main belt's background population.[4] It orbits the Sun in the outer asteroid belt at a distance of 2.5–3.3 AU once every 4 years and 10 months (1,780 days; semi-major axis of 2.87 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 9° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The asteroid was first identified as A916 NB at Johannesburg Observatory in July 1916. The body's observation arc begins at Uccle with its official discovery observation.[13]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after the pseudonym of Auguste Cauvin, also known as "d'Arsac", long-time editor-in-chief of the Belgian newspaper Le Soir (c. 1898–1937). The pseudonym "piccolo" means "small" in Italian.[2] The official naming citation was mentioned in The Names of the Minor Planets by Paul Herget in 1955 (H 124).[2] Asteroid 1350 Rosselia was also named after an editor of Le Soir by Delporte.

Physical characteristics

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Piccolo has been characterized as an X-type asteroid by Pan-STARRS photometric survey,[12] while the LCDB assumes a stony S-type.[3]

Rotation period and poles

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In June 1984, a first rotational lightcurve of Piccolo was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Richard Binzel. Lightcurve analysis gave a rotation period of 16.57 hours with a brightness variation of 0.33 magnitude (U=2).[11] In 2003 and 2005, two more lightcurves were obtained by French amateur astronomer René Roy. They gave a period of 16.048 and 16.05 hours and an amplitude of 0.24 and 0.29 magnitude, respectively (U=2/2).[9]

In 2016, the asteroid lightcurve has also been modeled using photometric data from various sources. It gave a concurring period of 16.1834 hours and two spin axis in ecliptic coordinates of (352.0°, 49.0°) and (201.0°, 55.0°).[10]

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, Piccolo measures between 26.92 and 28.02 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.1538 and 0.199.[5][6][7] In April 2003, an albedo of 0.131 and a diameter of 29.9 kilometers have also been deduced from a stellar occultation.[8]

The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.1447 and a diameter of 27.50 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 10.52.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1366 Piccolo (1932 WA)" (2017-06-04 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1366) Piccolo". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 111. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1367. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "LCDB Data for (1366) Piccolo". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Asteroid 1366 Piccolo – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  5. ^ 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)
  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 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. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d Shevchenko, Vasilij G.; Tedesco, Edward F. (September 2006). "Asteroid albedos deduced from stellar occultations". Icarus. 184 (1): 211–220. Bibcode:2006Icar..184..211S. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.04.006. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b c Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (1366) Piccolo". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  10. ^ a b Hanus, J.; Durech, J.; Oszkiewicz, D. A.; Behrend, R.; Carry, B.; Delbo, M.; et al. (February 2016). "New and updated convex shape models of asteroids based on optical data from a large collaboration network". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 586: 24. arXiv:1510.07422. Bibcode:2016A&A...586A.108H. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201527441.
  11. ^ a b c Binzel, R. P. (October 1987). "A photoelectric survey of 130 asteroids". Icarus. 72 (1): 135–208. Bibcode:1987Icar...72..135B. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(87)90125-4. ISSN 0019-1035. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  12. ^ 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. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  13. ^ a b "1366 Piccolo (1932 WA)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
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