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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]
| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | C. Shoemaker |
| Discovery site | Palomar Obs. |
| Discovery date | 5 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 arc | 84.44 yr (30,841 d) |
| Aphelion | 3.3990 AU |
| Perihelion | 1.7701 AU |
| 2.5846 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.3151 |
| 4.16 yr (1,518 d) | |
| 107.91° | |
| 0° 14m 13.92s / day | |
| Inclination | 19.169° |
| 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] | |
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]
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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.
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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]
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