Discovered by K. Reinmuth MPC designation 1235 Schorria Observation arc 85.23 yr (31,130 days) Orbits Sun | Discovery date 18 October 1931 Alternative names 1931 UJ · 1988 HD Discovered 18 October 1931 Discoverer Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth | |
Minor planet category Mars-crosser · Hungaria Discovery site Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl Similar 192 Nausikaa, 132 Aethra, Solar System, Sun, 375 Ursula | ||
1235 schorria transito
1235 Schorria, provisional designation 1931 UJ, is a Hungaria asteroid, sizable Mars-crosser, and exceptionally slow rotator from the inner region of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 18 October 1931, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg Observatory in southwest Germany, and named for astronomer Richard Schorr.
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Description
In the Tholen taxonomy, Schorria is classified as a CX:-type, an intermediate between the C-type and X-type asteroids. It is a member of the Hungaria family, which form the innermost dense concentration of asteroids in the Solar System. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.6–2.2 AU once every 2 years and 8 months (964 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 25° with respect to the ecliptic. The body's observation arc begins at Heidelberg two weeks after its official discovery observation, as no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made.
In March 2009, a rotational light-curve of Schorria was obtained by American astronomers Brian Warner and Robert Stephens. Light curve analysis of the two astronomer's combined data set of almost 2000 photometric observations revealed that this Mars-crosser is one of the slowest rotating asteroids known to exist. It has a rotation period of 7003126500000000000♠1265±80 hours, or about 52 days, with a high brightness variation of 7000139999999999999♠1.40 in magnitude (U=3), which is indicative of a non-spheroidal shape. The body was also suspected to be in a tumbling state. However, no significant evidence of such a non-principal axis rotation could be found.
No estimates for Schorria's diameter and albedo have been published by any of the space-based surveys such as the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, or NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission. Based on a generic magnitude-to-diameter conversion, Schorria measures between 7 and 15 kilometers, for an absolute magnitude at 13 and an albedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.25, while Warner/Stephens estimated a diameter of approximately 9 kilometers in 2009. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link calculates a diameter of 5.04 kilometers based on an albedo of 0.40, which is contrary to a expected low albedo for dark, carbonaceous CX-type asteroids as classified by Tholen, but typical for the descendants of the E-belt, a hypothesized population of primordial asteroids, which the E-type Hungarian asteroids with high inclinations and a semi-major axis of 1.9 AU are thought to have originated from.
This minor planet was named after Richard Schorr (1867–1951), astronomer at Bergedorf Observatory, Hamburg, who discovered the minor planets 869 Mellena and 1240 Centenaria. After being named by ARI with the consent of the discoverer (RI 862), naming citation was later published by Paul Herget in The Names of the Minor Planets in 1955 (H 114). The lunar crater Schorr is also named in the astronomer's honour.