Discovered by J. Perrotin Aphelion 2.7161 AU (406.32 Gm) Discovered 10 January 1877 Discovery site Toulouse Observatory | Discovery date 10 January 1877 Observation arc 116.69 yr (42622 d) Perihelion 2.3923 AU (357.88 Gm) Orbits Sun Asteroid family Maria family | |
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Discoverer Henri Joseph Anastase Perrotin Similar 188 Menippe, 135 Hertha, 158 Koronis, 153 Hilda, 128 Nemesis | ||
170 Maria is a Main belt asteroid that was discovered by French astronomer Henri Joseph Perrotin on January 10, 1877. Its orbit was computed by Antonio Abetti, and the asteroid was named after his sister, Maria. This is the namesake of the Maria asteroid family; one of the first asteroid families to be identified by Japanese astronomer Kiyotsugu Hirayama in 1918.
In the Tholen classification system, this is categorized as a stony S-type asteroid. Observations performed at the Palmer Divide Observatory in Colorado Springs, Colorado during 2007 produced a light curve with a period of 13.120 ± 0.002 hours and a brightness range of 0.21 ± 0.02 in magnitude. Previous measurements from 2000 gave 13.14 and 5.510 hour estimates for the period. Based upon its spectrum, it is classified as an S-type asteroid.
An occultation of a star by Maria was observed from Manitoba, Canada, on June 10, 1997.