Discovered by C. TorresS. Cofré Orbits Sun Discovery site Cerro El Roble Station | Discovery date 18 July 1968 Alternative names 1968 OD Discovered 18 July 1968 Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
People also search for Sun, 1973 Colocolo, (6889) 1971 RA | ||
1992 Galvarino, provisional designation 1968 OD, is an Eoan asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 10 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 18 July 1968, by Chilean astronomers Carlos Torres and S. Cofre at the Cerro El Roble Station of Chile's National Astronomical Observatory.
The S-type asteroid is a member of the Eos family, an orbital group of more than 4,000 asteroids, which are well known for mostly being of stony composition with a relatively high albedo. It is also classified as a M- and L-type asteroids by WISE and PanSTARRS, respectively. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.8–3.1 AU once every 5 years and 2 months (1,891 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.05 and an inclination of 11° with respect to the ecliptic. Its observation arc begins with its official discovery observation in 1968, as no precoveries and no previous identifications were made.
As of 2016, a single rotational light-curve has been obtained for Galvarino. The photometric observations were made in the 1990s, giving a well-defined rotation period of 7.004 hours with a brightness variation of 0.6 magnitude (U=3). According to the surveys carried out by NASA's WISE satellite with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, the asteroid measures 9.6 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.145, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.14 and calculates a diameter of 10.2 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 12.7.
The asteroid was named after the indigenous warrior Galvarino, the heroic figure during the Arauco War, a long-running conflict between colonial Spaniards and the Mapuche people of the 16th century in what is now Chile. He was condemned by the Spanish soldiers to have his hands cut off and then to be freed as a living lesson to other Indians. Since his request for death was not granted, he promised revenge. He continued to fight the conquerors until recaptured and condemned to the gallows. Naming citation was published on 1 June 1980 (M.P.C. 5358).