Discovered by P. Wild MPC designation 1906 Naef Discovered 5 September 1972 Orbits Sun Discovery site Zimmerwald Observatory | Discovery date 5 September 1972 Minor planet category main-belt · Vestoid Absolute magnitude 12.7 Discoverer Paul Wild Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Named after Robert A. Naef
(amateur astronomer) Alternative names 1972 RC · 1943 VF
1952 DG1 · 1965 WF Similar Sun, 3552 Don Quixote, 81P/Wild | ||
1906 Naef, provisional designation 1972 RC, is a stony vestoid asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 5 September 1972, by Swiss astronomer Paul Wild at Zimmerwald Observatory near Bern, Switzerland.
Naef orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.1–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 8 months (1,336 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic. The body's observation arc begins with its discovery observation, as previous observation at Turku Observatory and McDonald Observatory in 1943 and 1952, respectively, remain unused.
According to observations by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer's NEOWISE mission, Naef measures 7.9 and 8.1 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.23, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.40 and calculates a diameter of 6.6 kilometer, based on an absolute magnitude of 12.5. Naef is a vestoid or V-type asteroid, with its spectral type comparable to that of the group's namesake, 4 Vesta. V-type asteroids are less common than the abundant S-type asteroids, but they are similar in their stony composition, except for their higher concentration of pyroxenes, an aluminium-rich silicate mineral.
Four rotational light-curves, obtained during 2005–2009, gave a well-defined rotation period between 11.01 and 11.03 hours with a brightness variation of 0.92–0.95 magnitude (U=n.a./3/n.a./2+).
The minor planet was named after Swiss banker Robert A. Naef (1907–1975) from Zürich, an ardent amateur astronomer, who produced the yearly observers almanac, Der Sternenhimmel, since 1940. Naming citation was published before November 1977 (M.P.C. 4157).