Discovered by M. Koishikawa MPC designation 6349 Acapulco Observation arc 69.65 yr (25,441 days) Orbits Sun Asteroid group Asteroid belt | Discovery date 8 February 1995 Minor planet category main-belt · (middle) Discovered 8 February 1995 Discoverer Masahiro Koishikawa | |
Alternative names 1995 CN1 · 1947 EC
1973 AH4 · 1973 CL
1988 SA1 Named after Acapulco (Twin towns and sister cities) Discovery site Sendai Astronomical Observatory Ayashi Station People also search for 6522 Aci, 5547 Acadiau | ||
6349 Acapulco, provisional designation 1995 CN1, is a asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 20 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 8 February 1995, by Japanese astronomer Masahiro Koishikawa at the Ayashi Station of the Sendai Astronomical Observatory in the Tōhoku region of Japan.
The asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.3–3.0 AU once every 4 years and 4 months (1,591 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 11° with respect to the ecliptic. The first used precovery was taken at Palomar Observatory in 1953, extending the asteroid's observation arc by 42 years prior to its discovery.
A rotational light-curve of this asteroid was obtained from photometric observations made at the U.S. Palomar Transient Factory in September 2010. The light-curve gave a rotation period of 7000437550000000000♠4.3755±0.0020 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.18 in magnitude (U=2). According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, as well as NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its following NEOWISE mission, the asteroid measures between 19.2 and 22.7 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo in the range of 0.037 to 0.076. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link, however, classifies it as a S-type asteroid, assumes a higher albedo of 0.10, and hence calculates a smaller diameter of 12.4 kilometers.
The minor planet is named for the Mexican city of Acapulco, known for its major seaport, which is considered to be among the most beautiful ones in the world. Since 1973, Acapulco is the sister city of the Japanese city of Sendai, where the discovering observatory is located, and after which the minor planet 3133 Sendai is named. Hasekura Tsunenaga (1571–1622) – retainer of Date Masamune, who founded the city of Sendai – stopped by at Acapulco on his diplomatic mission to Rome. Naming citation was published on 2 February 1999 (M.P.C. 33787).