Discovered by T. Seki MPC designation 3822 Segovia Orbital period 1,249 days Orbits Sun | Discovery date 21 February 1988 Discovered 21 February 1988 Discovery site Geisei Observatory | |
Alternative names 1988 DP1 · 1962 ST1976 YE2 · 1979 UP1986 WV9 Similar Solar System, Sun, 8 Flora, Comet Ikeya–Seki | ||
3822 Segovia, provisional designation 1988 DP1, is a stony Flora asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Japanese astronomer Tsutomu Seki at Geisei Observatory in Kōchi, Japan, on 21 February 1988.
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 2.0–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,249 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.12 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic. It was first identified as 1962 ST at the Karl Schwarzschild Observatory in 1962, extending Segovia's observation arc by 26 years prior to its official discovery observation.
In March 2016, a rotation period was published using data from the Lowell Photometric Database (LPD). Using light-curve inversion and convex shape models, as well as distributed computing power and the help of individual volunteers, a period of 7001110320400000000♠11.03204±0.00001 hours could be obtained for this asteroid from the LPD's sparse-in-time photometry data (U=n.a.). The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.24 – derived from 8 Flora, the largest member and namesake of this orbital family – and calculates a diameter of 4.9 kilometers, based on an absolute magnitude of 13.7.
The minor planet was named for world-famous virtuoso classical guitarist Andrés Segovia (1893–1987). In 1959, the discoverer attended one of his concerts in Japan and became inspired to play the guitar. Naming citation was published on 21 April 1989 (M.P.C. 14481).