{{Short description|Main-belt asteroid}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox planet | minorplanet = yes | name = 1827 Atkinson | background = #D6D6D6 | image = | image_size = | caption = | discovery_ref = <ref name="jpldata" /> | discoverer = Indiana University<br />{{nowrap|{{small|(Indiana Asteroid Program)}}}} | discovery_site = Goethe Link Obs. | discovered = 7 September 1962 | mpc_name = (1827) Atkinson | alt_names = 1962 RK{{·}}1931 VC<br />1955 FL{{·}}1967 TL<br />1973 EQ | pronounced = | named_after = Robert d'Escourt Atkinson<br />{{small|(British astronomer)}}<ref name="springer" /> | mp_category = main-belt{{·}}{{small|(middle)}} | orbit_ref = <ref name="jpldata" /> | epoch = 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | uncertainty = 0 | observation_arc = 85.41 yr (31,196 days) | aphelion = 3.1907 AU | perihelion = 2.2291 AU | semimajor = 2.7099 AU | eccentricity = 0.1774 | period = 4.46 yr (1,629 days) | mean_anomaly = 43.640° | mean_motion = {{Deg2DMS|0.2209|sup=ms}} / day | inclination = 4.5222° | asc_node = 220.56° | arg_peri = 239.58° | dimensions = {{val|8.855|0.301}} km<ref name="Masiero-2011" /> | rotation = | albedo = {{val|0.249|0.052}}<ref name="Masiero-2011" /> | spectral_type = Tholen {{=}} DU<ref name="jpldata" /><br />B–V {{=}} 0.807<ref name="jpldata" /> | abs_magnitude = 12.39<ref name="jpldata" /> }}
'''1827 Atkinson''', provisional designation {{mp|1962 RK}}, is a background asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 9 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 7 September 1962, by IU's Indiana Asteroid Program at Goethe Link Observatory near Brooklyn, Indiana, United States.<ref name="MPC-object" /> The asteroid was named after British astronomer Robert d'Escourt Atkinson.<ref name="springer" />
== Orbit and classification ==
Atkinson is not a member of any known asteroid family.<ref name="lcdb" /> It orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.2–3.2 AU once every 4 years and 6 months (1,629 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 5° with respect to the ecliptic.<ref name="jpldata" />
The body's observation arc begins with its first identification as {{mp|1931 VC}} at Uccle Observatory in November 1931, almost 31 years prior to its official discovery observation at Goethe Link.<ref name="MPC-object" />
== Physical characteristics ==
In the Tholen classification, Atkinson is similar to a dark D-type asteroid, though with an unusual spectrum (DU).<ref name="jpldata" /> This strongly disagrees with the albedo obtained by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), which indicates that is rather a stony S-type asteroid.<ref name="Masiero-2011" />
=== Rotation period ===
As of 2017, no rotational lightcurve of Atkinson has been obtained from photometric observations. The asteroid's rotation period, shape and poles remain unknown.<ref name="jpldata" /><ref name="lcdb" />
=== Diameter and albedo ===
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Atkinson measures 8.855 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.249.<ref name="Masiero-2011" />
== Naming ==
This minor planet was named after British astronomer, physicist and inventor, Robert d'Escourt Atkinson (1898–1982), noted for his contributions to fundamental astronomy. Atkinson pioneered in studying nuclear energy-generation in the Sun and stars.<ref name="springer" /> The official {{MoMP|1827|naming citation}} was published by the Minor Planet Center on 15 October 1977 ({{small|M.P.C. 4236}}).<ref name="DoMP-Circular-dates" />
== References == {{reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="jpldata">{{cite web |type = 2017-03-29 last obs. |title = JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 1827 Atkinson (1962 RK) |url = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2001827 |publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory |access-date = 5 September 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="springer">{{cite book |title = Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1827) Atkinson |last = Schmadel | first = Lutz D. |publisher = Springer Berlin Heidelberg |page = 146 |date = 2007 |isbn = 978-3-540-00238-3 |doi = 10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1828 |chapter = (1827) Atkinson }}</ref>
<ref name="MPC-object">{{cite web |title = 1827 Atkinson (1962 RK) |work = Minor Planet Center |url = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=1827 |access-date = 5 September 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="DoMP-Circular-dates">{{cite book |title = Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition (2006–2008) |year = 2009 |url = https://archive.org/details/dictionaryminorp2008schm |url-access = limited |chapter = Appendix – Publication Dates of the MPCs |last = Schmadel |first=Lutz D. |publisher = Springer Berlin Heidelberg |page = [https://archive.org/details/dictionaryminorp2008schm/page/n230 221] |isbn = 978-3-642-01964-7 |doi = 10.1007/978-3-642-01965-4}}</ref>
<ref name="Masiero-2011">{{cite journal |display-authors = 6 |first1 = Joseph R. |last1 = Masiero |first2 = A. K. |last2 = Mainzer |first3 = T. |last3 = Grav |first4 = J. M. |last4 = Bauer |first5 = R. M. |last5 = Cutri |first6 = J. |last6 = Dailey |first7 = P. R. M. |last7 = Eisenhardt |first8 = R. S. |last8 = McMillan |first9 = T. B. |last9 = Spahr |first10 = M. F. |last10 = Skrutskie |first11 = D. |last11 = Tholen |first12 = R. G. |last12 = Walker |first13 = E. L. |last13 = Wright |first14 = E. |last14 = DeBaun |first15 = D. |last15 = Elsbury |first16 = T. IV |last16 = Gautier |first17 = S. |last17 = Gomillion |first18 = A. |last18 = Wilkins |date = November 2011 |title = Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters |url = http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?bibcode=2011ApJ...741...68M |journal = The Astrophysical Journal |volume = 741 |issue = 2 |page = 20 |bibcode = 2011ApJ...741...68M |doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68 |arxiv = 1109.4096 |access-date= 5 September 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="lcdb">{{cite LCDB|number = 1827 |access-date = 5 September 2017}}</ref>
}} <!-- end of reflist -->
== External links == * [http://www.minorplanet.info/PHP/lcdbsummaryquery.php Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)], query form ([http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html info] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216050541/http://www.minorplanet.info/lightcurvedatabase.html |date=16 December 2017 }}) * [https://books.google.com/books?id=aeAg1X7afOoC&pg Dictionary of Minor Planet Names], Google books * [http://obswww.unige.ch/~behrend/page_cou.html Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR] – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend * [https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/NumberedMPs000001.html Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000)] – Minor Planet Center * {{AstDys|1827}} * {{JPL small body}}
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