Discovery date 10 January 1951 Aphelion 4.8620 AU (727.34 Gm) Discovered 10 January 1951 Named after Daniel Kirkwood Asteroid group Hilda family | Observation arc 72.16 yr (26357 days) Orbital period 2,843 days Orbits Sun Discovery site Goethe Link Observatory Discoverer Indiana Asteroid Program | |
Discovered by Indiana University
(Indiana Asteroid Program) Alternative names 1944 DF
1949 TF
1952 FK Minor planet category Outer main-belt asteroid | ||
1578 Kirkwood, also known as 1944 DF, 1949 TF, 1951 AT and 1952 FK, is an asteroid which was discovered on 10 January 1951, by Indiana University during its Indiana Asteroid Program at Goethe Link Observatory in Brooklyn, Indiana, United States.
This program was conceived and directed by Frank K. Edmondson of Indiana University. The photographic plates were blinked and measured astrometrically by B. Potter and, following her retirement, by D. Owings; and the photometry was performed under the direction of Tom Gehrels. During the years 1947–1967, in which the plates were exposed, a large number of people participated in various aspects of the program.
The asteroid is named for American astronomer Daniel Kirkwood (1814–1895), who was an Indiana University professor.