63 Ausonia
Encyclopedia
63 Ausonia is a large main belt
asteroid
. It was discovered by Annibale de Gasparis
on February 10, 1861 from the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte
, Naples
. The initial choice of name for the asteroid was "Italia", after Italy
, but this was modified to Ausonia
, an ancient classical name for the Italian region.
Based on its lightcurve, a small moon
has been suggested. http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/asteroidmoonsq.html
Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
. It was discovered by Annibale de Gasparis
Annibale de Gasparis
Annibale de Gasparis was an Italian astronomer. From 1864 to 1889 he was the director of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte in Naples.He won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1851....
on February 10, 1861 from the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte
Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte
The Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte The Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte The Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte (Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Italy's Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (National Institute for...
, Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. The initial choice of name for the asteroid was "Italia", after Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, but this was modified to Ausonia
Ausonia
-Places:Argentina* Ausonia, Argentina, a community in General San Martín Department, CórdobaItaly* Ausonia, Lazio, a comune in the Province of Frosinone-Ships:* German aircraft carrier I , a German aircraft carrier...
, an ancient classical name for the Italian region.
Based on its lightcurve, a small moon
Asteroid moon
A minor planet moon is an astronomical body that orbits a minor planet as its natural satellite. It is thought that many asteroids and Kuiper belt objects may possess moons, in some cases quite substantial in size...
has been suggested. http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/asteroidmoonsq.html