Lictoria as first observed as A909 UB at Heidelberg Observatory on 17 October 1909. It was officially discovered on 30 March 1929, by Italian astronomer Luigi Volta at the Observatory of Turin near Pino Torinese, Italy.[11] Three weeks later, on 17 March 1929, it was independently discovered by astronomer Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg, Germany.[2] The Minor Planet Center only acknowledges the first discoverer.[11]
This minor planet was named after the symbol of fascism used by the Italian Fascist Party. The symbol was called "Fasci Littori", or "Fasces Lictores" in Latin (derived from fasces and lictor). Several other things such as festivals (littoriali) and fast trains (littorine) were given related names during the fascist period. In particular, the Italian city of Latina was founded under the name "Littoria" in 1932.[2] The author of the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Lutz Schmadel, corresponded with Italian-born astronomer Paul Comba to confirm the meaning for this asteroid.[2][13]
Several rotational lightcurve of Lictoria have been obtained from photometric observations by astronomers William Koff, Eric Barbotin, Stefano Sposetti and Matthieu Conjat, as well as Hiromi and Hiroko Hamanowa (U=2/3/2/2/3).[10][a][b][c][d] Analysis of the best-rated lightcurve from February 2008 gave a rotation period of 8.5616 hours with a consolidated brightness variation between 0.16 and 0.30 magnitude (U=3).[3]
Diameter and albedo
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS, the Japanese Akari satellite and the NEOWISE mission of NASA's WISE telescope, Lictoria measures between 69.93 and 86.724 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a low albedo between 0.05 and 0.066.[5][6][7][8][9]
The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link derives an albedo of 0.045 and a diameter of 78.86 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 9.5.[3]
Notes
^ abKoff (2011) web: rotation period 8.56 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.25 mag. Quality code of 2. Summary figures for (1107) Lictoria at LCDB
^ abAnonymous Observer at CALL (2011): rotation period 8.561 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.30 mag. Quality code of 2. Summary figures for (1107) Lictoria at LCDB
^ abHamanowa (2011) web: rotation period 8.5681±0.0001 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.26±0.01 mag. Quality code of 3. Summary figures for (1107) Lictoria at LCDB
^ abcdUsui, Fumihiko; Kuroda, Daisuke; Müller, Thomas G.; Hasegawa, Sunao; Ishiguro, Masateru; Ootsubo, Takafumi; et al. (October 2011). "Asteroid Catalog Using Akari: AKARI/IRC Mid-Infrared Asteroid Survey". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 63 (5): 1117–1138. Bibcode:2011PASJ...63.1117U. doi:10.1093/pasj/63.5.1117. (online, AcuA catalog p. 153)