318 Magdalena

318 Magdalena

Orbital diagram
Discovery
Discovered by	Auguste Charlois
Discovery date	24 September 1891
Designations
MPC designation	(318) Magdalena
Pronunciation	/mæɡdəˈliːnə/[1]
Named after	Possibly Mary Magdalene
Minor planet category	Main belt
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	124.56 yr (45496 d)
Aphelion	3.46477 AU (518.322 Gm)
Perihelion	2.92120 AU (437.005 Gm)
Semi-major axis	3.19298 AU (477.663 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.085119
Orbital period (sidereal)	5.71 yr (2084.0 d)
Mean anomaly	158.522°
Mean motion	0° 10m 21.886s / day
Inclination	10.6573°
Longitude of ascending node	161.509°
Argument of perihelion	296.737°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	85 km
Synodic rotation period	42.49 h (1.770 d)
Absolute magnitude (H)	9.4

Magdalena (minor planet designation: 318 Magdalena) is a main belt asteroid orbiting the Sun. It was discovered by Auguste Charlois on 24 September 1891 in Nice. It may be named for Mary Magdalene, who in legend travelled to Southern Gaul and is the patron saint of Provence.^[3]

On April 15, 2005, UT Magdalena occulted a 10.7 mag star in the constellation Scutum for observers along a path across Australia.

Measurements made with the IRAS observatory give a diameter of 106.08 ± 0.25 km and a geometric albedo of 0.03 ± 0.01. By comparison, the MIPS photometer on the Spitzer Space Telescope gives a diameter of 105.32 ± 11.11 km and a geometric albedo of 0.03 ± 0.01.^[4]

Alternative rock group The Pixies named one of their songs after the asteroid on their album Indie Cindy.^[5]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 318 Magdalena at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 318 Magdalena at the JPL Small-Body Database 
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters