Discovery date 6 May 1967 Discovered 6 May 1967 | MPC designation 1991 Darwin Observation arc 61.41 yr (22,430 days) Orbits Sun | |
Discovered by C. U. CescoA. R. Klemola Alternative names 1967 JL · 1954 UG1971 SU2 Discoverers Arnold Richard Klemola, Carlos Ulrrico Cesco Discovery site Leoncito Astronomical Complex, Félix Aguilar Observatory, Carlos U. Cesco Astronomical Station Similar Asteroid belt, Sun, 8 Flora | ||
1991 Darwin, provisional designation 1967 JL, is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 6 May 1967, by Argentine astronomers Carlos Cesco and Arnold Klemola at the El Leoncito's Yale–Columbia Southern Station of the Félix Aguilar Observatory in Argentina.
The S-type asteroid is a member of the Flora family, one of the largest groups of stony asteroids in the main-belt. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.8–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,232 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.21 and an inclination of 6° with respect to the ecliptic. It has a rotation period of 4.7 hours and an albedo of about 0.25, according to observations made by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.
The asteroid is named in memory of English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882), the first to establish the theory of biological evolution. While on research in Argentina, he crossed the Andes relatively near to the Leoncito Astronomical Complex where the minor planet was discovered. The asteroid also honors George Darwin (1845–1912), his second son who was a noted astronomer for his pioneering application of detailed dynamical analyses to problems of cosmogony and geology. The Darwins are also honored by the lunar and Martian craters Darwin. Naming citation was published on 1 April 1980 (M.P.C. 5282).