Discovered by E. Delporte MPC designation 1276 Ucclia Minor planet category main-belt · (outer) Aphelion 3.48 m Discoverer Eugène Joseph Delporte | Discovery date 24 January 1933 Alternative names 1933 BA · 1963 KF Discovered 24 January 1933 Orbits Sun Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Named after Uccle (city and observatory) Discovery site Royal Observatory of Belgium Similar Asteroid belt, Sun, 1221 Amor, 2101 Adonis | ||
1276 Ucclia, provisional designation 1933 BA, is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 31 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 24 January 1933, by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle. Two nights later, the body was independently discovered by Richard Schorr at Bergedorf Observatory in Hamburg, Germany.
The dark C-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.9–3.5 AU once every 5 years and 8 months (2,069 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.09 and an inclination of 23° with respect to the ecliptic. No precoveries were taken prior to its discovery.
A rotational light-curve was obtained from photometric observations by Italian and French astronomers Silvano Casulli, Federico Manzini and Pierre Antonini in March 2007. It showed a well-defined rotation period of 7000490768000000000♠4.90768±0.00002 hours with a brightness variation of 0.40 in magnitude (U=3). In June 2008, a second light-curve by Slovak astronomer Adrián Galád at Modra Observatory, gave a concurring period of 7000490730000000000♠4.9073±0.0004 hours with an amplitude of 0.29 in magnitude (U=3-).
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, the asteroid measures between 30.1 and 40.0 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.05 and 0.14. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.08 and a diameter of 30.3 kilometers.
The asteroid was named after Uccle, in honor of both, the city and the discovering observatory (H 117).