1933 Tinchen

1933 Tinchen, provisional designation 1972 AC, is a Vestian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, about 5 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 14 January 1972, by Czech astronomer Luboš Kohoutek at the Hamburger Bergedorf Observatory in Germany, who named it after his wife, Christine Kohoutek.^[2][10]

1933 Tinchen

Lightcurve-based 3D-model of Tinchen
Discovery[1]
Discovered by	L. Kohoutek
Discovery site	Bergedorf Obs.
Discovery date	14 January 1972
Designations
MPC designation	(1933) Tinchen
Named after	Christine Kohoutek (wife of the discoverer)[2]
Alternative designations	1972 AC · 1956 TB 1956 VE · 1962 JF 1962 JS
Minor planet category	main-belt · Vesta[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	60.59 yr (22,131 days)
Aphelion	2.6437 AU
Perihelion	2.0617 AU
Semi-major axis	2.3527 AU
Eccentricity	0.1237
Orbital period (sidereal)	3.61 yr (1,318 days)
Mean anomaly	315.04°
Mean motion	0° 16m 23.16s / day
Inclination	6.8822°
Longitude of ascending node	164.93°
Argument of perihelion	214.52°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	4.51±0.11 km[4] 5.04 km (calculated)[3] 6.454±0.041 km[5]
Synodic rotation period	3.67±0.07 h[6] 3.6703±0.0006 h[7] 3.671±0.005 h[8] 3.672±0.003 h[a]
Geometric albedo	0.2950±0.0588[5] 0.4 (assumed)[3] 0.613±0.029[4]
Spectral type	V[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.769±0.003 (R)[7] · 12.88[4] · 12.9[5] · 13.07±0.32[9] · 13.1[1][3]

Classification and orbit

Tinchen orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.1–2.6 AU once every 3 years and 7 months (1,318 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.12 and an inclination of 7° with respect to the ecliptic.^[1]

The vestoid or V-type asteroid is also a member of the Vesta family. Asteroids with these spectral and orbital characteristics are thought to have all originated from the Rheasilvia crater, a large impact crater on the south-polar surface of 4 Vesta, which is the main-belt's second-most-massive asteroid after 1 Ceres.

Physical characteristics

Tinchen has a rotation period of 3.671 hours.^[6][7][a]

According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Tinchen measures between 4.51 and 6.454 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo between 0.2950 and 0.613.^[4][5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for Vestian asteroids of 0.40 and calculates a diameter of 5.04 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.1.^[3]

Naming

The discoverer named this minor planet after his wife, Christine Kohoutek.^[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 20 February 1976 (M.P.C. 3938).^[11]

Notes

1. Ryan 2007 (web) figures at LCDB for results of LCDB – 1933 Tinchen