1031 Arctica
1031 Arctica, provisional designation, is a dark asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 75 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 6 June 1924, by Soviet−Russian astronomer Sergey Belyavsky at Simeiz Observatory on the Crimean peninsula. It was named for the Arctic Sea.
Classification and orbit
Arctica orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.9–3.2 AU once every 5 years and 4 months. Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.06 and an inclination of 18° with respect to the ecliptic. Prior to its discovery, Arctica was identified as and at Collurania and Johannesburg in 1910 and 1913, respectively. The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Simeiz in 1924.Physical characteristics
In the Tholen taxonomic classification scheme, Arctica is a rather rare CX: type, an intermediary between the carbonaceous C and X-type asteroids .Rotation period
In February 1992, the first rotational lightcurve of Arctica was obtained by Italian astronomer Mario Di Martino at Torino Observatory, using the ESO 1-metre telescope at La Silla in Chile. It gave a rotation period of 51.0 hours with a change in brightness of 0.22 magnitude.Since then, photometric observations were taken by French amateur astronomers Raymond Poncy, René Roy and Patrick Sogorb, giving an identical period of 51 hours, based on a fragmentary and poorly rated lightcurve. While Arctica has a much longer period than most minor planets, it is not a slow rotator, which have periods up to a 1000 or more hours.