Discovered by P. P. Henry Minor planet category Main belt Aphelion 3.3855 AU (506.46 Gm) Discovered 2 November 1875 Discovery site Paris Observatory | Discovery date 2 November 1875 Observation arc 130.69 yr (47735 d) Perihelion 2.8984 AU (433.59 Gm) Orbits Sun Discoverer Paul Henry | |
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Similar 153 Hilda, 162 Laurentia, 161 Athor, 167 Urda, 165 Loreley | ||
152 Atala is a large main belt asteroid that was discovered by brothers Paul Henry and Prosper Henry on November 2, 1875, but the discovery was credited to Paul. It is a type D asteroid, meaning that it is composed of carbon, organic rich silicates and possibly water ice.
The asteroid is named for the eponymous heroine of the 1801 novella Atala by François-René de Chateaubriand. The Henry brothers also named the last of their discoveries, 186 Celuta, after another Chateaubriand heroine. Both Atala and Céluta are American Indian fictional characters.
An occultation of a star by Atala was observed from Japan on March 11, 1994. Subsequent occultations have been observed as recently as 2006.
Photometric of this asteroid made in 1981 gave a light curve with a period of 5.282 ± 0.004 hours with a brightness variation of 0.50 in magnitude.