Discovered by E. Delporte MPC designation 1374 Isora Minor planet category Mars-crosser Absolute magnitude 13.5 Discoverer Eugène Joseph Delporte | Discovery date 21 October 1935 Alternative names 1935 UA Discovered 21 October 1935 Orbits Sun | |
Named after Constructed female name("Rosi" spelled backwards) Discovery site Royal Observatory of Belgium Similar 132 Aethra, 1373 Cincinnati, Solar System, 2101 Adonis, 512 Taurinensis | ||
1374 Isora, provisional designation 1935 UA, is a stony asteroid and eccentric Mars-crosser from the innermost regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 21 October 1935, by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte at Uccle Observatory in Belgium.
In the SMASS taxonomy, Isora is classified as a Sq-type, an intermediary between the abundant S and rather rare Q-type asteroids. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.6–2.9 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,233 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.28 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic. Isora's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Uccle, as no precoveries were taken and no prior identifications were made.
In January 2014, a rotational light-curve of Isora was obtained by American astronomer Robert D. Stephens at the Center for Solar System Studies (CS3) in California. Light-curve analysis gave a longer than average rotation period of 36.699 hours with a brightness variation of 0.12 magnitude (U=2+). However, a second period solution of 18.35 hours is also possible. The result supersedes photometric observations taken by Wiesław Z. Wiśniewski in 1989, which rendered a fragmentary light-curve with a period of 8 hours (U=1).
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and derives a diameter of 5.48 kilometers using an absolute magnitude of 13.67.
Isora is the backwards spelled feminine name "Rosi" with an appended "a". Naming was proposed by Gustav Stracke (1887–1943) – astronomer at the German Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, and after whom the minor planet 1019 Strackea is named – and first cited by Paul Herget in his The Names of the Minor Planets in 1955 (H 125).