Discovered by M. Itzigsohn MPC designation 1779 Paraná Observation arc 66.40 yr (24,251 days) Orbits Sun | Discovery date 15 June 1950 Minor planet category main-belt · (inner) Discovered 15 June 1950 Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Alternative names 1950 LZ · 1976 SF86116 P-L People also search for Asteroid belt, Sun, 1800 Aguilar | ||
1779 Paraná, provisional designation 1950 LZ, is an asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 4 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 15 June 1950, by Argentine astronomer Miguel Itzigsohn at the La Plata Astronomical Observatory in La Plata, capital of the province of Buenos Aires.
Paraná orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 3 months (1,172 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.16 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic. As no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made, Paraná's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation in 1950.
According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Paraná measures 4.09 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.221. Based on a magnitude-to-diameter conversion, using an albedo in the range of 0.05 to 0.25 and a magnitude of 14.1, the asteroid's generic diameter is between 4 and 9 kilometers.
The body has also been cataloged by the Palomar–Leiden survey and received the survey designation 6116 P-L (PLS6116). As of 2017, Paraná's spectral type, rotation period and shape remain unknown.
The asteroid was named for a large and 4,880-kilometers long Paraná River that runs through northern Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. It is a major tributary to the La Plata river, where the city of La Plata and the discovering observatory are located (also see 1029 La Plata). Naming citation was published on 8 April 1982 (M.P.C. 6832).