Discovered by K. Reinmuth MPC designation 2591 Dworetsky Discovered 2 August 1949 Orbits Sun Asteroid group Asteroid belt | Discovery date 2 August 1949 Minor planet category main-belt · (outer) Absolute magnitude 11.4 Discoverer Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth | |
Named after Michael Dworetsky(British astronomer) Alternative names 1949 PS · 1929 RH11934 RD · 1949 QU1952 DC1 · 1962 BD1962 EH · 1969 OC1973 GQ · 1975 TU41978 GX3 · 1979 OD141981 YL2 · 1982 BO Discovery site Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory Similar 1862 Apollo, Sun, 1419 Danzig, 1056 Azalea, 1635 Bohrmann | ||
2591 Dworetsky, provisional designation 1949 PS, is a stony asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 13 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 2 August 1949, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at the Heidelberg Observatory in southern Germany.
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.8–3.1 AU once every 5.03 years (1,839 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.04 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic. It has a rotation period of 12.8 hours and an albedo of 0.279 and 0.291, based on observations made by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and its subsequent NEOWISE mission. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20, and calculates a diameter of 15.6 kilometers, based on an absolute magnitude of 11.5.
The minor planet was named in honor of British astronomer Michael Dworetsky, senior lecturer at University College London (UCL). He is an active member of the International Astronomical Union, affiliated to several divisions, including "Education, Outreach and Heritage". His research involve the stellar abundances of the mercury group of elements and has also taken a large part in the development of the undergraduate astronomy degree program. The asteroid's name was proposed by Conrad Bardwell (also see 1615 Bardwell), who made the identifications involving this minor planet. Naming citation was published on 27 June 1991 (M.P.C. 18448).