Discovery date 3 June 1992 Alternative names 1992 LR Observation arc 23.78 yr (8,687 days) Discovered 3 June 1992 Named after Akka (Finnish mythology) | MPC designation 8034 Akka Minor planet category Amor · NEO Orbital period 906 days Orbits Sun Discovery site Palomar Observatory | |
Discovered by C. Shoemaker
E. Shoemaker Discoverers Carolyn S. Shoemaker, Eugene Merle Shoemaker Similar 4954 Eric, Sun, Solar System, 1580 Betulia, 3671 Dionysus | ||
8034 Akka, provisional designation 1992 LR, is a stony and eccentric asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 0.7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by American astronomer couple Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at the U.S. Palomar Observatory, California, on 3 June 1992, as the asteroid neared a close approach to Earth the following month at 12.1 million kilometers or 31.5 lunar distances.
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.1–2.6 AU once every 2 years and 6 months (904 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.41 and an inclination of 2° with respect to the ecliptic. The first observation was made at Siding Spring Observatory in May 1992, extending the asteroid's observation arc by just two weeks prior to its discovery.
With an Earth minimum orbit intersection distance of 0.0738 AU (11,000,000 km), it is only slightly above the threshold-limit of 0.05 AU, or about 19.5 lunar distances, defined for potentially hazardous asteroids. The asteroid frequently makes close approaches to Earth and Mars. Its closest recorded approach to Earth and Mars is 0.081 AU on 29 July 1992 and 0.061 AU on 26 April 1982, respectively. It will make its closest approach to another planet when it comes within 0.044 AU of Mars on 6 April 2171.
A rotational light-curve was obtained from photoelectic observation made by Polish astronomer Wiesław Wiśniewski of the University of Arizona in August 1992. The ambiguous light-curve gave a rotation period of 7000728300000000000♠7.283±0.004 hours with a brightness variation of 0.46 in magnitude (U=2). Alternatively, the body rotates once every 7000363770000000000♠3.6377 hours (or half the previous period) with an amplitude of 0.52, as determined by Czech astronomer Petr Pravec (U=2). The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 0.7 kilometers.
The minor planet was named after Akka from Finnish mythology. She is the Earth's mother and the goddess of harvest and personifies love, agriculture and femininity. Akka is the wife of the principal sky deity Ukko, after whom the minor planet 2020 Ukko is named. Naming citation was published on 24 July 2002 (M.P.C. 46101).