Discovered by L. Oterma Discovered 12 February 1942 Orbits Sun Discovery site Iso-Heikkilä Observatory | Discovery date 12 February 1942 Minor planet category main-belt · (middle) Absolute magnitude 11.2 Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Alternative names 1942 CH · 1934 PP1937 AA · 1937 AY1938 JA · 1943 PC1949 XL · 1952 OG1953 VD1 · 1960 FFA902 JA People also search for Sun, 2268 Szmytowna, 1882 Rauma | ||
1680 Per Brahe, provisional designation 1942 CH, is a bright asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 14 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 12 February 1942, by Finnish astronomer Liisi Oterma at Turku Observatory in Southwest Finland.
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.2–3.2 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,643 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic.of 2.2–3.2 AU once every four and a half years (1,644 days). Its orbit shows an eccentricity of 0.18 and is tilted by 4 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. Per Brahe was first identified as A902 JA at Heidelberg Observatory in 1902, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 40 years prior to its official discovery observation.
In December 2012, two rotational light-curves of Per Brahe were obtained by American astronomers Robert Stephens and Brian Warner. They gave a well-defined rotation period of 3.426 and 3.428 hours with a brightness variation of 0.13 and 0.017 magnitude, respectively (U=3). Two previous light-curves, obtained by Laurent Bernasconi and René Roy in 2005 and 2006, gave a similar period of 3.444 and 3.44 hours, respectively.(U=2/1+).
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Per Brahe measures between 13.96 and 18.29 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo between 0.178 and 0.300. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives a higher albedo of 0.341 and a diameter of 14.36 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.0.
This minor planet was named for Swedish count Per Brahe (1602–1680), who was Governor General of Finland in the 17th century. His prosperous legacy saw the establishment of Academia Aboensis, the first university in Finland, the construction of various new towns and many schools, and the publication of the first Finnish Bible. Naming citation was published on 1 April 1980 (M.P.C. 5280).