Discovered by M. Itzigsohn MPC designation 1608 Muñoz Discovered 1 September 1951 Orbits Sun Asteroid group Asteroid belt | Discovery date 1 September 1951 Minor planet category main-belt · (inner) Absolute magnitude 12.7 | |
Named after F. A. Muñoz(astronomer) Alternative names 1951 RZ · 1951 RK11961 UD · 1974 HH1 People also search for Sun, 1800 Aguilar, 1801 Titicaca | ||
1608 Muñoz, provisional designation 1951 RZ, is a bright asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 1 September 1951, by Argentine astronomer Miguel Itzigsohn at the La Plata Astronomical Observatory, in La Plata, Argentina.
Muñoz orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.6 AU once every 3 years and 3 months (1,203 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic. It was first imaged on a precovery taken at Lowell Observatory in 1948, extending the body's observation arc by 3 years prior to its official discovery observation.
According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Muñoz measures 6.71 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a high albedo of 0.403. It has an absolute magnitude of 12.7. As of 2017, Muñoz's spectral type, rotation period and shape remain unknown.
This minor planet was named in memory of F. A. Muñoz, who was an assistant at the La Plata Observatory in the department of extra-meridian astronomy. He was involved in computational and observational work on minor planets for many years and also took an active part in site testing for the 2.15-m Argentine telescope, also known as the 85-inch or 2.15-metre Jorge Sahade Telescope (also see Leoncito Astronomical Complex). Naming citation was published on 1 August 1980 (M.P.C. 5449).