Discovered by C. Jackson MPC designation 1394 Algoa Discovered 12 June 1936 Orbits Sun | Discovery date 12 June 1936 Minor planet category main-belt · (inner) Absolute magnitude 11.6 Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Alternative names 1936 LK · 1929 TT1933 UY1 Similar 276 Adelheid, 193 Ambrosia, 516 Amherstia, 132 Aethra, 265 Anna | ||
1394 Algoa, provisional designation 1936 LK, is a stony asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 14 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 12 June 1936, by English-born South-African astronomer Cyril Jackson at Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.3–2.6 AU once every 3 years and 10 months (1,391 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.08 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic. Prior to its discovery observation in 1936, Algoa was identified as 1929 TT and 1933 UY1 at Lowell Observatory and Uccle Observatory, respectively. These observations, however, remained unused to extend the body's observation arc.
In 2012, two rotational light-curves of Algoa were obtained at the U.S. Etscorn Observatory, New Mexico, and at the Riverland Dingo Observatory, Australia. They gave a well-defined, concurring rotation period of 2.768 hours with a brightness variation of 0.20 and 0.21 magnitude, respectively (U=3-/3). The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20, and calculates a diameter of 14.2 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.6.
The minor planet is named after the historical Algoa Bay, located approximately 700 kilometers east of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Naming citation was published before November 1977 (M.P.C. 909).