Discovered by J. Hunaerts MPC designation 1637 Swings Discovered 28 August 1936 Orbits Sun Named after Pol Swings (Astrophysics) | Discovery date 28 August 1936 Minor planet category main-belt · (outer) Absolute magnitude 10.4 Discoverer Joseph Hunaerts Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Alternative names 1936 QO · 1907 YT
1934 FL · 1934 FP
1936 SD · 1939 FU
1950 GA Observation arc 109.60 yr (40,033 days) Discovery site Royal Observatory of Belgium | ||
1637 Swings, provisional designation 1936 QO, is a dark asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 50 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 28 August 1936, by Belgian astronomer Joseph Hunaerts at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle, Belgium. In the following month, it was independently discovered by astronomer Cyril Jackson at Johannesburg Observatory in South Africa.
The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.9–3.2 AU once every 5 years and 5 months (1,967 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.04 and an inclination of 14° with respect to the ecliptic. In 1907, Swings was first identified as 1907 YT at Heidelberg Observatory. However, the body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Uccle in 1936.
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Swings' surface has an albedo of 0.042, and measures 45.15 and 52.99 kilometers in diameter, respectively. It has an absolute magnitude of 10.4. As of 2017, the body's spectral type, rotation period and shape remain unknown.
This minor planet was named after Pol Swings (1906–1983), a Belgian astrophysicist, astronomer and president of the International Astronomical Union during 1964–1967, who significantly contributed to the understanding of the physics of comets and their spectra. Naming citation was published before November 1977 (M.P.C. 3932).